Scenarios: Trust & 25
by adcgordon
Summary: What happens when Zac and Vanessa realize they love each other? And, what do their parents think about it? Follow our fave couple through a few scenarios in their relationship. Rated M for safety. I certainly don't own HSM, the actors or the characters.
1. Trust & 25 Years

**Although I consider myself a huge fan of the HSM trilogy, I unfortunately don't own the characters, the story, or anything affiliated with them. I have the utmost respect for the actors, actresses, and the many production crew members who put in countless hours on this generation-changing tv/movie event. I've enjoyed the spark to my imagination that HSM has provided. **

**Hope you enjoy!**

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Vanessa and Zac were returning from a weekend with Zac's parents. They had helped Starla and David Efron celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with a special dinner and then had seen them off for an anniversary cruise to Cancun. Zac had packed his and Vanessa's bags in the car and the young couple had settled in for the three-hour drive between Toluca Lake and Los Angeles.

The teens filled the first half hour of the drive with a discussion of how the weekend had gone. Starla had been thrilled that her two sons had planned a surprise dinner for them with family and close friends. And then when Zac and Dylan presented them with the Cancun cruise the tears started flowing. David had been in on the cruise planning, but the dinner was a surprise for him as well. Just being with their sons would have been enough for Mr. & Mrs. Efron. But the fact that the two young men had worked together to plan the weekend's events was just icing on the cake.

Both of the boys tried to give Zac's girlfriend the credit she deserved in the planning but Vanessa wouldn't have it. Each time they tried to tell their parents about V's role in the weekend, Vanessa would just shy away and make up an excuse that pointed the planning back at Zac or Dylan. But, in fact, without Vanessa's help on the invitations and restaurant reservations the young Efron boys probably would not have pulled off the surprise.

Zac and Vanessa were holding hands in the car as they talked about the events. "You know mom and dad adore you, don't you?" Zac asked. "I'm sure they realize that you played more of a part in this weekend than you would admit."

Vanessa shyed away again, "Zac the weekend was all about them. It didn't matter who planned it, or who had the ideas. As long as it all came together…that's what mattered. I'm just glad I got to be here to see the outcome. It was a very special time."

"Did you see mom and dad necking in the corner after they had been dancing a while? I think they thought they were teenagers again, sneaking off to a dark corner. I almost went over to break them up…but ewwww, my parents and p.d.a.'s…I don't mind if they sneak a kiss and hold hands, but that one kinda made my skin crawl. And here I trusted them to behave themselves with me and Dyl around. I'm really glad now that we didn't try to go on the cruise with them. I don't want to think about how they'll be acting on the ship."

"Ya know, I did catch a glimpse of them smooching. I thought it was sweet! Of course that was around the same time that you were trying to test out those disco moves of yours on the dance floor. I didn't realize that you and John Travolta had time for dance lessons on the set of Hairspray," Vanessa joked.

"Did ya like my moves V? I've got more I can show you when we get back to L.A. Maybe John will let me borrow his platform shoes and rhinestone costume so I can show you what I really learned!"

They shared a laugh and then trailed off into silence as Zac turned on the radio. A few songs went by before Vanessa thought back to something Zac had mentioned.

"Hey," she said quietly, "you talked about trusting your parents."

"Yeah?" Zac answered. "I was joking you know. I mean, they are the adults…married 25 years now…why wouldn't I trust them?" Zac wasn't sure where Vanessa was going with this part of the conversation.

"Yeah," V said, "Of course you trust them…but do they trust you? Like when they stayed at the hotel Saturday night and Dylan spent the night with your aunt and cousin at the hotel. Did your parents really trust us to go back to their house alone and spend the night?"

"Well where else would they think we were going? That's what we told them we were doing, right? I don't understand what you're getting at V."

"Um, I'm not sure what I'm trying to get at either. Nevermind, I'm just tired from all the excitement."

Zac knew something wasn't right, but he wasn't sure how to get to it, so he let things drop. Vanessa let go of Zac's hand and grabbed a pillow from the back seat of the car. She leaned her head against the pillow on the window and closed her eyes.

V and Z had known each other for two and a half years now. They had officially started dating several months ago even though they had shared lots of platonic "dates" and time with their friends. When they first became friends and decided to keep in touch after filming the first High School Musical movie, they had even visited each other's houses and met their respective families. Starla and Vanessa's mom, Gina, had seen the teens get to know each other on the HSM set. Since the kids were minors in that first movie, their moms had been there to oversee the filming process.

But it wasn't until after filming that Vanessa met Zac's dad. David and Vanessa had hit it off right away, just like she and Starla had. Vanessa enjoyed being around Zac's family from the very beginning. And Zac enjoyed being around Vanessa's mom too. The first meeting with V's dad had gone well too. But you could say that Zac was a little nervous around Greg Hudgens. While V was on a first name basis with Zac's parents, Zac had chosen to call V's dad 'Mr. Hudgens'…and he still did, even after two and a half years…especially after Zac and Vanessa started dating officially.

And that's where some of Vanessa's confusion was coming from. She and Zac were boyfriend and girlfriend. Their relationship was still in its beginning stages. Yes, they had made out and had some heavy petting sessions you could say. But even at 19 and 18 years old they had decided that sex wasn't on their agenda yet. They both thought that was a pretty mature decision on their parts.

After seeing the headaches that other Hollywood teens had endured, and seeing the outcome of some of their choices, Zac and Vanessa were quite sure that they had made the right decision. Even if it wasn't an easy one to stick to, they had both promised each other that sex was years down the road for them, and it would only happen with someone they loved. Z and V had told each other they were really good friends. Love hadn't entered the picture for them…yet.

Looking over at Vanessa, Zac's mind wandered back to the night before and the conversation that V had just attempted to have with him. As the dinner party died down Zac and Dylan had presented their parents with a room key at the hotel where they had had dinner. Zac had thought that he and Dylan and Vanessa were going back to their home to spend the night. But their aunt invited Dylan to spend the night with them at the hotel, take in a swim and sleep in the next morning. Dylan was thrilled at the chance to catch up with his cousin. So that just left Vanessa and Zac alone at the Efron house.

They had spent the night together many times before. When they officially started dating they had shared a hotel room and a bed in Hawaii just to get some time away together. And they had spent nights together at their parents' homes, sleeping in separate bedrooms, or in the living room in plain sight of everyone.

So, Zac didn't think twice when he told his mom and dad that he and Vanessa were heading back home for the night. David and Starla were in their own little world. But David did stop for a moment to tell Zac "no frolicking in your bedroom please!" The father and son had shared a laugh and Zac answered, "You know me dad." David's response…"I know, and I trust you son."

Back at the house Z & V had both decided that they were exhausted. Zac climbed into his twin bed and turned on the tv while Vanessa changed into her p.j.'s. When she came from the bathroom Zac patted the bed next to him for her to lay down too. "Are you sure I shouldn't go sleep in Dyl's room, or down on the couch?" Vanessa asked. "Come on," Zac said, "You heard dad, they trust us. Besides, we're both exhausted, sleep is my top priority so we can drive home tomorrow." Vanessa answered, "Your dad said he trusted YOU, not us, you know." Zac just responded with a "What ev'." And pulled the covers back for her to climb in. Once V snuggled in next to him he kissed her cheek, rolled over and fell asleep. Vanessa lay there with her back pressed up against Zac's. She wasn't sure about this sleeping arrangement on this particular night. But after a little while the exhaustion took over and she, too, fell asleep.

Trust. That's the word that kept coming to mind for Zac. That's what Vanessa was trying to ask about, but what was the problem? They trusted each other. At least Zac knew he trusted Vanessa…did she not trust him? No, this was something with their parents. Oh well, he'd figure it out whenever she felt like talking about it. Right now Vanessa was asleep. He reached over and grabbed her hand again while he was driving. She didn't respond, but she let him take her hand and hold it on his lap as they continued down the highway.

But Vanessa wasn't asleep. She was trying to put her thoughts together in her mind. She and Zac hadn't done anything wrong. Of course his parents should trust them. She knew that David and Starla trusted Zac completely. There was no reason not to. The Efron's were a very open family and very supportive of each other. V's family was like that too for the most part. But her trip to Hawaii with Zac and something else had cut into that trust, at least between Vanessa and her dad. Those were the flashes that kept going through Vanessa's mind.

"Dad, Zac and I are going to Hawaii to get away from the craziness for a little bit and just relax. We're meeting some of his family over there, so we won't be alone, don't worry…but we are sharing a room to cut down on cost…is that ok?"

"_Vanessa, you're 17. I know you and Zac are more than "friends" now, so why should I trust him? I don't like this 'one room' business. I was a teenage boy once too you know, I know what goes through a boy's mind when he's around a beautiful girl like you!"_

"_Daddy, come on. You trust me, right? I know I'm only 17, but I'm mature for my age and I trust Zac. And Daddy, I wanna do this. I'm not going to come back pregnant! I've told you that Zac and I are taking things slowly, we're not sleeping together. That kind of thing would've gotten back to you already if we were. You know that!"_

It had been a magical trip. But the pap's pictures that had leaked into the magazines only served to prove Greg Hudgens' point. The shots of Zac holding Vanessa and her with her arms curled around his toned body certainly made them look like more than friends. Vanessa smiled as she thought about that. But then she frowned as she remembered how her dad had shunned away from her when she returned from the trip. Whether he believed it or not, she and Zac had not 'slept' together on that trip.

They had come to know each other a lot better as boyfriend and girlfriend, but they still had not taken that other step. Unfortunately her father didn't want to know what had happened in Hawaii. And she hadn't forced the issue with him. All she knew was that he trusted her a little less when she returned.

It also didn't help that the photo scandal came just months after the Hawaii trip. Pictures of a semi-nude Vanessa showed up on the internet. 'How' was a big question, and that still hadn't been determined. Honestly, it didn't matter. Vanessa's poor judgement as a young teenager had cut even further into her father's trust. She knew that her dad and mom loved her very much, but the trust factor hurt.

At that moment, she thought back to Zac and his family. "Frolicking," that's how Zac's dad had viewed the Hawaii pictures when they started hitting the public eye. They had laughed about the pictures. Vanessa had even laughed with Zac and David as they flipped through the photo spread in the "National Enquirer" once they were back home.

Zac had told Vanessa about a conversation that he and his dad had had later that same day… _"Zac, did you 'protect' yourself?" "Well of course dad, abstinence is the best protection you can get isn't it?" _And that's where the conversation ended. Zac's dad trusted him, and believed more from that two- sentence conversation than Vanessa could even get her dad to listen to. But of course, Zac's a male and V's the female in this relationship. She was trying to see her dad's side of things but it wasn't helping the matter.

Vanessa had one other thought during this whole in-mind battle. She hoped she and Zac would trust their kids the way Zac's parents trusted him.

Whoa! Where had that come from? Kids with Zac? What was she thinking? Vanessa's eyes shot open and she jerked up in the seat, tearing her hand out of Zac's grip. Zac looked at her and saw a bewildered look on her face. "V, what's wrong?!" Vanessa couldn't speak. She was still trying to piece this together in her mind. "Are you sick? Do I need to pull over? Vanessa?…V? Hey, come on, talk to me!"

They were halfway home and Vanessa just nodded to Zac. "Yeah, can you pull over somewhere, I need to grab a Coke or something." So Zac took the next exit off the highway and pulled into the Speedway. "Do you need me to come in with you?" Zac asked, growing concerned. "No thanks, I just need a bathroom break and a drink," Vanessa said.

Vanessa was glad there was no one else in the bathroom, and that she hadn't put on any makeup before they left. She splashed some water on her face and just stood for a minute looking in the mirror. Subconciously she had thought about her and Zac being more than just boyfriend and girlfriend, more than just holding hands and kissing on the couch. Until this moment she hadn't really let her mind wander too far into their future. All of a sudden, thoughts of all kind were swirling around in her head. Seeing Zac interact with his family. Seeing him with a few young cousins. Talking about their trust. Looking at the pictures of his family on the walls of their home and knowing how much love was there.

She knew the night of the dinner party that something had felt different inside of her. Something felt different when Zac hugged his mom and dad. And when they had left his parents to head home, what had Starla said to them? "Love you both, thanks again!" She wasn't talking to Zac and Dylan. She was talking to V and Zac. "Love you both…" That made her stomach flip again just thinking about it. As her mind continued to swirl the thoughts started focusing. _I love Zac as a friend. Now I think I'm falling in love with him. _Oh boy. This wouldn't help Greg Hudgens' trust factor either…or would it?

Whatever the case, Vanessa looked in the mirror again. She was feeling less agitated now. But now she was nervous. _Ok. I have to go back and get into the car with my boyfriend…the man that I'm pretty sure I'm in love with…the man that I haven't spoken with in the past hour and I just freaked him out. _Here goes nothin'!

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Vanessa grabbed a Coke, a bottled water for Zac and some snacks on the way back to the car. As she climbed in the passenger seat she took a deep breath and smiled genuinely at Zac. _Females, Zac thought, Dad warned me about mood swings. I just didn't think they started until like age 40 or something. Oh boy!_ And at the same time all he could say was, "Have I told you how beautiful you looked Saturday night? Your dress was gorgeous! Are you feeling better now?"

V just answered him with a "Thank you!" and buckled her seat belt. "Zac, what I was trying to ask you about…er…talk about earlier…the trust thing…" "Yeah," Zac looked at her questioningly. "I was just thinking how great it is that your parents trust you – us – so much. No questions asked, they just do. I wish my dad trusted us like that. I think mom does. But after Hawaii and the photo scandal thing…I'm not sure how to get dad's trust back."

"Nessa, he trusts you. And I think he trusts us. You're his little girl, ya know. He wants to protect you. Maybe he sees me cutting into that protection thing. And with the photo scandal he saw you get hurt and he didn't know how to help you. That has to hurt him as a dad, not being able to help his daughter. I know if _we_ had a little girl I'd want to protect her from everything. It's just gonna take time for us to show him that he can trust us. And we'll do that together."

"I know, I know." Vanessa trailed off thinking about the first part of Zac's pep talk. She was playing it over and over in her mind when she mumbled something. "I just hope we can trust _our_ kids and protect them." Then she focused on something else Zac said…_"if we had a little girl"…_

They looked at each other and said in unison, "Wait, what'd you just say?!!"

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They were barely five minutes down the road from their last stop but Zac had to pull into the emergency lane. Did he hear Vanessa say what he thought she had said? Had they both just made references to having kids together? Now his mind was swirling.

He pulled to a stop and put the car in park before he took his seatbelt off. Vanessa just sat in the passenger seat. They were both staring out the windshield. Vanessa built up her courage and spoke first. "Zac, did you just say something about protecting '_our'_ little girl?" Zac thought about what he had said and stammered a little. "Y-Yeah, I think I did. Did you just mumble something about trusting _'our'_ kids?" Now it was Vanessa's turn to stammer. "Y-Yes." Was all that she could say.

They sat for a couple of minutes just staring at the passing traffic. Finally Vanessa spoke again. "This may freak you out Zac, but I'm just gonna put it out there. So if you want me to get out and walk home that's fine…but…but…I love you Zachary David Alexander Efron. And that's why I hope we get to have kids together and protect them together, and trust them like your parents trust you. There, it's out there!"

Now Zac wasn't just staring out the window. He was also holding his breath. He didn't know what Vanessa was going to say. He looked at Vanessa while she was talking. He saw the seriousness in her face. And when she was done he sucked in a breath and held it and looked back out the windshield.

Vanessa waited a minute for him to say something. But he wasn't even breathing. "Breathe Zac," she said. Then she grabbed her purse and started to open the door.

"Wa-wait…" Zac finally took a breath. "Nessa, where are you going?" he asked.

"Well, I've freaked you out enough over the past two hours. I figured I'd walk back to the gas station and call someone to come get me."

"Hold up a minute." Zac grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the car. "I'm driving you home, you're not going anywhere or calling anyone else."

"But if you're ticked at me, I don't wanna ride home with someone who doesn't wanna be near me." Vanessa said quietly. She honestly didn't know what to think of Zac's behavior. And she still couldn't believe that she had just told him that she loved him."

"Who says I'm ticked off? I'm not mad or upset," Zac was looking her straight in the eye but Vanessa couldn't read his face. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't frowning or mad. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen this face on him before. His eyebrows were scrunched, his lips were quivering a little, almost like he was cold. She was glad to hear that he wasn't ticked at her. That's a plus, right?

Zac continued, "Just give me a minute will ya?" And with that he grabbed the bottle of water in his left hand and started drinking it. He was still staring out the front window. With his right hand he grabbed Vanessa's left hand and held it lightly, just letting their fingers slip together. Little by little he started gripping her hand tighter. He didn't squeeze too hard, but his grip was firm. Vanessa just sat looking at him, wondering what was going through his mind. But she didn't say anything. As his grip tightened, she just took her other hand and put it over top of his. She turned slightly in her seat to face him more, to be more comfortable. She wasn't sure how long they'd be sitting there.

Finally Zac turned to face her. "Do you remember last month, I came up here to see Mom and Dad, to work on the plans for this weekend?" Vanessa answered quietly, "Yeah, I remember I missed you while you were gone." Zac smiled at her. "Mom thought I was up here for more personal reasons. So she pulled me into the family room one night and sat me down on the couch for a 'mother/son' chat. We haven't had one of those since I was like twelve." Vanessa smiled thinking about Starla making Zac sit through a parental lecture. "Anyway," Zac continued, "she asked why you didn't come up with me that weekend. She asked if we'd had an argument. I told her we were fine and I just wanted to see her and dad for a little bit."

"Then she smiled at me…you know, her 'motherly' smile. She said, 'Zac I'm going to tell you something and I want you to take it to heart, okay?' I just looked at her and nodded my head cause I had no clue what she was thinking. She said, 'You are my son. I've always thought I've known you better than anyone else. But now there is someone else in your life. And you love that person, don't you Zac?' I sat there dumbfounded on our couch and mom just kept staring at me."

He took a breath. Then Vanessa asked shyly, "What did you say?"

"I had to tell her the truth Ness, she's my mom and she trusts me."

"So what did you say?"

"I said 'YES'."

"Zac, who was she talking about?"

"You."

"So…"

"So, I love you Vanessa Anne Hudgens. I love YOU!"

Tears streamed down Vanessa's cheeks and she laughed a little as she saw a tear come from Zac's eyes too. "I guess this'll be a story to tell our kids some day, huh?" Zac was wiping her tears away and gave her a weird look. "What??"

"Can't you hear it now?" Vanessa sniffled. "There we were parked in the emergency lane on the side of the highway, professing our love for each other! That's one they'll want to hear over and over again!" She smiled.

"So can I finish my story now?" Zac asked.

"There's more? I kinda like that ending." Vanessa said.

"Well, after I told mom yes, that I was in love with you, she asked me if I'd told you yet? I told her 'no' cause I didn't wanna scare you away. She said I shouldn't be scared to tell you…because you loved me too. How did she know that V? Have you and mom been talking or something? Cause we ended the conversation with her saying 'Oh, wouldn't it be so romantic if the two of you admitted your love for each other up here while your father and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary??!!'"

"Oh, now THAT'S just freaky!" Vanessa gasped. She was still trying to dry her eyes and used her thumb to wipe the tear off Zac's cheek. "I do want to spend more time with your mom. But I haven't told anyone that I'm in love with you. Because I just figured it out myself. Ooo, maybe your mom's a psychic Zac. Geez, I wish she had let me in on that secret. Then the past two hours wouldn't have been so freakish for both of us. By the way, WERE you going to tell me that you loved me this weekend?"

Zac looked at her and smiled. "No. I was planning on us having a special dinner this week and break the news to you at the beach. I was envisioning us walking hand and hand and wading through the water. Then we would stop under the moonlight and I would lift your chin up to look at me and I'd say, 'Vanessa, Baby V, I – love – you!' and I would give you a kiss between each word, then we would share a much longer kiss at the end."

Vanessa closed her eyes and let herself envision what Zac was describing. She felt his index finger under her chin as he said 'I love you' and then felt his lips softly on hers. She kept her eyes closed and enjoyed the kiss. When Zac broke away Vanessa smiled, "We can still do that, right?" Zac grinned, "Well, it won't be the same, but I suppose we can go to the beach if you want."

As they put their seatbelts back on and got ready to pull back onto the highway, Vanessa put her hand on Zac's cheek. "Thank you," she said, "for letting me be part of this weekend. I think that's what made me realize that I love you." She blushed as she said the words again and Zac just smiled. As he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear he said, "I'll never get tired of hearing that!"

He handed his cell phone to Vanessa as he pulled back onto the highway. "Text my mom, please. Just say, 'I told her.' Vanessa quickly typed the message and hit send.

Starla Efron smiled as she showed the message to her husband of 25 years. Then she sent back a message that made both kids smile from ear to ear. "Hope you'll start your first 25 years together soon! I told you so!"

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	2. Trust Dad

"Daddy, I love him."

It was a phrase that Greg Hudgens had hoped he wouldn't hear for another decade from his oldest daughter. But there she was in front of him right now saying it.

Eighteen-year-old Vanessa Hudgens had just returned from a weekend with her boyfriend and his family. Apparently their drive home had been more eventful than expected.

"Vanessa, honey, you're eighteen. Are you sure you even know what love is? You and Zac have only been dating for a few months now. This seems pretty quick to me," Greg was trying to appease himself more than his daughter. But he also wanted her to think about what she was saying.

"Dad, we aren't getting married…at least not right away. It's just that our feelings for each other have really, well, grown since we started dating." Vanessa didn't need to convince herself although talking about this certainly made her feel even more in love with Zac. "We've known each other for nearly three years Dad. And we've been best friends for like over a year now. You know mom says she saw this coming before we even started officially dating."

Greg had been sitting in the living room attempting to watch football when his daughter had returned from her weekend. She was two hours later getting home than he had expected. The trip was only supposed to take three hours. She called when they left Toluca Lake, they were leaving an hour later than expected. So he sat down in front of the tv. What he didn't know was that there had been an extra long stop in the emergency lane about halfway home. No problem with the car, just some soul searching between the two teenagers that ended with them professing their love for one another.

So for the last hour Greg had been fidgeting, watching the clock and wondering exactly what Zachary Efron had done with his daughter for that extra hour. When he finally heard the front door open and his wife Gina greeting the young couple Greg relaxed a little bit and sank into his chair, focusing on the tv again.

He had heard Vanessa come in and give her mom a hug. Then Zac had come in, apparently bringing Vanessa's luggage into the house, and the three had then gone into the kitchen. He couldn't hear the conversation, but he heard them talking, heard Gina squeal about something, and then footsteps wandered into the living room near him.

"Daddy, I'm home," Vanessa had said. She came over and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, glad you made it back safely. I was getting a little worried." Greg glanced at his watch and then looked up at Zac who looked pretty nervous.

"Sorry about that Mr. Hudgens. We, um, had to make a couple of stops on the way home that I didn't expect."

"Everything alright? Your car didn't break down did it?" Greg asked, attempting to be as pleasant as possible to his daughter's boyfriend.

"Oh, no sir, the car's fine." Zac answered honestly.

"So what took the extra hour to get here?" Greg was getting a little hostile waiting for an answer from the two. And even without looking at them he could see them both blushing. They were trying to figure out what to say to him.

"Daddy," Vanessa started "I need to talk to you."

"Do you want me to stay?" Zac whispered to Vanessa.

"No, you go on. You need to unpack and get some rest. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay. Be sure to call me." Zac was almost demanding as he turned to walk out the door. Then he turned back for a minute. "Um, Mr. Hudgens, sir?"

"Yes Zac?" Greg grumbled.

"Thank you for letting Vanessa go with me this weekend. My parents had an awesome anniversary party and I know it wouldn't have gone as well if Ness, I mean, Vanessa hadn't been there to help. I really appreciate you letting her come with me." Zac put his hand out to Mr. Hudgens and did his best to smile at Vanessa's dad.

Greg shook Zac's hand and nodded at him. "I'm glad it worked out well. Sounded like a surprise-packed couple of days."

"Oh, it was, sir. Mom and Dad were completely surprised, along with some others." Zac turned and winked at Vanessa as he let go of Greg's hand and headed toward the front door. Vanessa started to walk with him. "That's okay Ness, I can see myself out. You talk to your dad."

Vanessa gave Zac a kiss on the cheek then watched him go out the door and turned back to her dad. "Do you mind turning the game off? I really want to talk to you." Vanessa asked nervously.

Greg grabbed the remote and turned the tv off. He knew in his heart what his daughter wanted to talk about. And he knew that she deserved his attention and his respect as she talked to him. But it's a conversation that most dad's don't want to have with their baby girls. One that he had been dreading for oh, nearly a year now.

"The dinner was great dad. David and Starla were so surprised. They danced and kept thanking Zac and Dylan for pulling the whole thing together. I think they were shocked that a couple of teens could put something like that together. But Zac and Dylan are both really smart guys, Dad. They knew what they wanted and they just needed a little extra help to pull it together." Vanessa was rambling.

"You really want to give me the play by play of the Efron's anniversary party?" Greg could tell his daughter was nervous. She invited this conversation, but he really just wanted her to get to the point.

"Okay, no, that's not what this is about." Vanessa looked her dad in the eyes. "But at the party, seeing their family together, thinking about our family…Dad, that's when I started to realize something about Zac."

"What's that?" Greg knew the answer before he even asked the question.

"Daddy, I love him."

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The father and daughter just stared at each other for a minute before either of them could speak again. Greg sat up a little straighter in his chair as he watched his 'little' girl in front of him. She didn't squirm. She didn't fidget. She point-blank told him what she was feeling and then looked as though she was ready to stand her ground.

"What made you finally realize that you 'love' him?" Greg finally asked.

"I'm not sure exactly," Vanessa answered. "We were at the party and seeing Zac with his family…I started wanting what I was seeing. And when I looked at Zac my heart just took over, it started telling me that I wanted 'that' with him."

This was the most forward that Vanessa had been with her dad in years. He almost blushed to hear her talking about a boy like this, and the very mature thoughts she was having. And Vanessa knew this was exactly the type of conversation that she needed to have with her dad. Because she needed him to know that she can be an adult. She can make her own decisions – good or bad – but she still needed the love, support and trust of the first man in her life, her father.

"Dad, I know you think I've made some bad decisions over the past few years. But I want you to know that I've grown from those choices. And falling in love with Zac…that's not a bad decision for me. He's helped me get through some of those poor choices. The photo scandal in particular, dad, you know he supported me through all of that just like you and mom did."

Greg couldn't argue with her. Try as he might, Mr. Hudgens could only find one flaw in the young man that his daughter had decided to date. And that was it. Zac was dating his daughter. But the 19 year old was courteous, responsible and seemed to have respect for both Vanessa and her family. But love is a big step for teenagers. Especially for his teenage daughter.

"Vanessa, we've breeched this subject before. Are you sure young Mr. Efron isn't just trying to get more from you, ehm, physically? Love is a strong word to use at any age. He didn't just throw that at you to make it around the bases a little quicker did he?" Greg was doing his best to be a part of this conversation. He needed Vanessa to know what he was thinking.

"Dad," Vanessa continued to look him straight in the eyes "Zac and I are both virgins. And it's going to stay that way BECAUSE we love each other. And _he _didn't 'throw out' the love word…I did."

"What?" Greg was taken aback by Vanessa's straight-forward approach. "What do you mean _you_ threw it out?"

"I was the first one to say it. It just happened on the drive home. That's why we're later getting back here. We were having a conversation about our families and wanting to have _our_ own family together. Zac had to pull off into the emergency lane because we both kinda went into shock. We sat there for a few minutes and I finally put my cards on the table. I told him that I loved him."

"And how did he respond to that?" Now Greg was in a state of shocked confusion. Talk about putting cards on the table. His eldest daughter – still a teenager – had just opened up to him about being a virgin, talking about a family with her boyfriend, and falling in love. Where on earth was Gina, his wife, during all of this?

--------------------------

In fact, Gina was in the kitchen attempting to eaves drop on Greg and Vanessa. She wasn't failing miserably, but she certainly couldn't hear the conversation as well as she had expected.

Zac and Vanessa had quickly told Gina what happened on the way home from Zac's parents' house. Gina had squealed when the couple had told her that they had admitted loving each other. Then Gina had encouraged Vanessa to go tell Greg. Vanessa and Zac both knew that they had to tell Greg about this step in their relationship. But considering another chat that Z and V had had about trust, they agreed that this needed to be a daughter/father talk. That's when Vanessa had sent Zac home.

Gina was expecting some yelling from one or the other of them. When Vanessa had gone to Hawaii with Zac there had been raised voices and even a few curse words from Greg when Vanessa actually left the house. When she and Greg and Vanessa had sat down to get to the bottom of the photo scandal there were tears after more raised voices…Greg's and V's.

Their firstborn daughter was a lot more like her father than either of them wanted to admit. Gina knew they loved each other. She knew that Greg was hurt that his Baby V was growing up; he was hurt that she was in her first serious relationship; and he was hurt that some idiot had exposed his daughter to the world and there was nothing that Greg could do to make it better.

Greg had stood outside Vanessa's room for an hour listening to her cry the night that she admitted to them that the internet pictures of her were real. The three of them had sat at the kitchen table as Vanessa explained that she had used her camera to take some risqué photos of herself. She had thought she'd give them to a boy she liked at the time. The boy had promised to keep the photos to himself. That was three years prior, Vanessa was merely fifteen, and the boy she liked at the time certainly wasn't Zac.

When she and Zac had started getting close the other boy had apparently gotten jealous and used the photos to try and hurt Vanessa. She knew it had been a bad decision. She had hoped her parents wouldn't find out. But when the photos hit the tabloids, she knew she had to turn to them for help.

Greg had yelled, frustrated and hurt, and sent her to her room. He quickly followed her and stood outside her bedroom door. He heard her sobbing, and then he heard something he didn't expect, Vanessa's phone conversation with Zac. This had been months ago, but that's when Greg first realized that his baby girl was falling in love.

Her father had heard her tears subside a little when Zac answered his phone. Greg knew Zac was in Australia promoting his movie 'Hairspray' at the time that all this broke loose. Greg had only heard Vanessa's side of the conversation but that was enough. He heard her tell Zac that 'the picture mess' was just getting worse. His daughter had trusted Zac enough to tell _him_ about the situation before mentioning it to her parents. Then he heard Vanessa tell Zac about the conversation that she had just had with Greg and Gina. And he heard her tears start flowing again. The conversation had gone on for half an hour, ebbing and flowing between Vanessa upsetting herself and Zac soothing the pain from the other end of the line.

Gina had found Greg sitting on the floor outside Vanessa's door, in tears himself. She had coaxed him into their bedroom to try and sort out what they could do to help their daughter. Love her, support her and trust her, and simply be there with strong shoulders whenever she needed them. The mother and father team had laid in bed for another hour just mulling over the situation. That's when Greg had gotten up, snuck into Vanessa's room and tucked in his sleeping daughter. "I love you Baby V.. Nothing will change the way I feel about my baby girl and NO ONE will hurt you like this again. I'm sorry, I love you."

A sleepy Vanessa had raised her arms up to her father for a hug and he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her tear-stained face and held her close before laying her back onto the bed and pulling the covers over her. "I love you too, Daddy." Both of them had finally been able to fall asleep that night.

-------------------

"Zac was kinda, I dunno," Vanessa was telling her dad. "He was in shock I think. He held his breath and I thought he was going to turn blue. I was ready to get out of the car and call you to come get me, but he wouldn't let me go."

"Did he hurt you or scare you? If he did you won't be seeing him again. That's not love Vanessa Anne."

"Daddy, let me finish." Vanessa kept going. "I think I scared him. He had already thought of this really romantic plan to tell me that he loved me. And then I beat him to the punch. And I unintentionally freaked him out along the way so we both just had to sit there a while and put our thoughts together. Once I got calmed down, he was able to tell me that he loved me too."

"So he didn't make a move to get you into bed, or rush to the next hotel to seal this deal?" Greg was still in teenager mode.

"DADDY!" Although Vanessa had expected her dad to think like this she didn't expect him to actually form the words and say them. "No, Dad, honestly, have you heard a word that I've said? Zac barely kissed me. I doubt I could have even talked him into something like that." Vanessa added just to see her dad react.

This time it was Greg's turn, "VANESSA ANNE HUDGENS! Don't let me hear you talk like that. Let's go back to the part where you told me you were still a virgin. That's more of what a father wants to hear."

Father and daughter just smirked at each other, knowing they were both now working to get under the other's skin. They had to smile even more when Gina came 'wandering' into the room. "You two okay in here or do you need a mediator?" She saw their smiles and smacked Greg on the arm. "Seriously, are you guys ok?"

Vanessa answered, "Yeah mom, I think we're okay. We've covered the 'loooovvvveee' topic, but there's still something Dad and I need to talk about."

"What, there's more? Is this not enough to give your poor dad a breakdown already?" Greg smiled at his wife and daughter. It was a heart-felt smile, one that Vanessa noted she hadn't seen on him in a while. At least not when it was pointed in her direction.

Gina excused herself. "Okay, I need to run a couple of errands anyway." She looked at Greg. "I knew about that first conversation, but you're on your own on this next one. I've got no clue what she's got up her sleeve. So call me if I need to come back…especially if she suddenly mentions marriage, eloping or twins by some chance." Greg's eyes nearly bulged out of his head at that last statement. He turned to see Gina leaving the room and then looked back at Vanessa who just shrugged her shoulders. She hadn't heard the last part of her mom's statement so she was honestly confused by her dad's look.

"You aren't going to mention marriage, eloping or twins in this next conversation are you? 'Cause if you are I'm going to need backup." Greg had little beads of sweat forming on his head.

"Oh, good grief!" Vanessa just shook her head. "Nope, nothing like that unless you push me into it," she joked. "I want to talk about something that we should've discussed months ago. Since I've got my courage up and you're listening…I wanna talk about Hawaii."

Greg sat back down in his chair. His demeanor eased as he thought about the chat that he and Vanessa had just finished. The trip that V and Zac took to Hawaii was less of a threat to him now. If she _was_ telling the truth about their relationship, if she and Zac _are_ both still virgins, then the Hawaii trip was much more innocent than Greg had imagined at the time.

Gina and Greg were waiting at the airport for Vanessa's flight to return. It had taken Gina two days to convince Greg to come with her to meet their daughter. She had only been gone a week but it was the first time that Vanessa and Zac had gone away together as boyfriend and girlfriend with no chaperones. Neither of the parents was exactly sure what to expect when the teens returned.

_It wasn't a publicity trip. No adult supervision, no scheduled appearances, no set check-in times because there was no one to check in with. Just a seventeen year old girl and her eighteen year old boyfriend. Gina had decided to trust them and encouraged Greg to do so as well. But Greg had already formed his opinion on this particular trip. He didn't like it. He liked Zac less than he had. And he had lost a little trust in his daughter for going against his wishes and taking the trip anyway._

_Greg had seen some of the pictures that had come out in the magazines already of his daughter's trip with her boyfriend. Building sandcastles on the beach looked innocent enough, but there were other pictures of the young couple in the ocean kissing, and Zac's hands touching his daughter's bikini-clad body. That's when he had thrown down the magazine and refused to talk to Vanessa on the phone when she called._

_He had gone to the airport with Gina that day just to make sure that Vanessa didn't get off the plane saying that they had gotten married in Hawaii. To make sure that he still had a little girl…at least for a little while longer. The truth that he had formed in his mind kept him from even speaking to Vanessa or Zac when they came into the airport._

_Vanessa noticed her father's less-than-thrilled look when she and Zac had come into the airport hand in hand. And she had noticed that his face had hardened even more when she kissed Zac on the cheek as they each went to their parents' cars. Vanessa hadn't wanted to leave Zac and ride home with her parents but the look in Greg's eyes that day told her she'd better go with them._

_Greg had listened to Vanessa talk all the way home about the trip, the fun and just relaxing. His ears tended to close, however, when Vanessa would say 'Zac and I' or especially at the mention of 'our hotel'. Gina had soaked it all in, realizing already that her little girl had entered into her first serious relationship. Greg was adamant that his daughter was still too young for this and basically refused to hear anything that would make her part of a 'couple'._

Both father and daughter thought back to that day and the week that Vanessa had been gone. "Okay," Greg conceded. "Talk to me baby girl."

Vanessa sighed. "You know how stressed we all were after the first movie came out and all the chaos started. The publicity trips and the schedule we were keeping was exhausting. So when all of that was over and yet things still weren't dying down, Zac's mom suggested getting away for just some relaxing time. I think she initially meant for it to be just Zac. His aunt and uncle had already planned a trip to Hawaii and Starla thought Zac could just bunk in with his cousin in the second room they had gotten."

Greg realized that he hadn't even listened to Vanessa when she attempted to tell him how the trip came about. He suddenly realized that he had some making up to do. "So Zac didn't just invite you on this unplanned, romantic getaway that he dreamed up?"

"No. He even hesitated to take me. I just happened to overhear his conversation with Starla one night during dinner with the gang. As we were heading back to the hotel that night, I mentioned to Zac that it sounded like a great chance to get away, and encouraged him to go. Since he had filming for 'Hairspray' coming up, he really needed a break from everything." Vanessa was thinking about that conversation with Zac and remembered thinking about how much she was going to miss him…between a trip to Hawaii and then months of filming, she had started wondering when and if she would get to see him, ever again.

"The next morning I noticed Starla and Mom having coffee together." Vanessa explained. "When I walked near them, Mom told Starla to go ahead and ask me…she said it would be 'up to me if I wanted to make the trip.' Then _Starla_ asked me if I wanted to go to Hawaii with Zac. She thought he would be more willing to go if I went with him, and she really wanted him to go. So really, Zac never asked me, Starla did."

"Okay," Greg said softly. Even Gina hadn't told him this. She had called from that trip to check and see if they had enough to pay for V's plane trip to Hawaii. He hadn't thought twice about it until Gina mentioned who Vanessa was going with. "So you were actually tagging along on this trip?"

"Not exactly, but me coming along was a surprise to Zac too. He didn't agree to go until he found out that I was going too." Vanessa remembered Starla's attempt to convince Zac to go.

"_Zac, you're eighteen now. You don't need me or your dad to go with you. You've been on enough of these publicity trips and auditions. Honey, you just need to get away for a while and have some time to yourself." Starla knew her son was still hesitant to go alone for some reason. She had realized then that maybe his hesitancy had something to do with his new-found girlfriend, not his family._ _So she had talked to Gina about letting the teens travel together._

_Starla had cornered her oldest son in his hotel room alone the following day, after her discussion with Gina and Vanessa. "Zachary David, I'm going to make one more attempt at this Hawaii idea. What if I told you that you don't have to go alone? What if I told you that Vanessa is going with you? Would that make a difference?" She had seen his eyes glisten just at the mention of Vanessa's name. And a smile had formed on his lips as soon as she asked the question._

"_That's not even possible, is it?" Zac had answered. "Mom, I just asked her to be my girlfriend a couple of weeks ago. There's no way her mom and dad would let her go away with me, would they?" _

"_Would it make a difference in your decision?" Starla was still trying to get an answer from him._

"_It would. I have to be away from her in a few weeks to go film 'Hairspray'. I had hoped to spend some time with just her, somehow, between now and then. If Ness goes to Hawaii, I'll go, but not without her." This young man had made up his mind._

"Not that it matters, but who ended up paying for this trip?" Greg asked, knowing that he and Gina hadn't ponied up any money for the travel or hotel.

"Zac did pay for it. Once he realized what lengths his mom had gone to, he wouldn't hear of her paying for it. And knowing that he owed you and mom big time for letting me go, he paid for my plane ticket too." Vanessa kept going, delving into a subject that could've been easily explained months ago if her father had listened. "Do you wanna know how the one-room part of this came about?"

Greg took a breath. "Yeah, please," he responded.

"Zac's aunt and uncle already had two rooms reserved at the hotel. We wanted to be near someone we knew, but we couldn't get any other rooms at that hotel. So they gave up their second room to us, as long as we were willing to stay together. Zac's cousin was supposed to stay there, and he could've stayed with us, but there was enough space in their first room for him to stay with his mom and dad." Vanessa remembered being overwhelmed that Zac's family would be willing to do that for him, for them.

"I was honestly pretty embarrassed to think that we'd be staying in the same room. I almost backed out, but Mom reminded me of why I had agreed in the first place. If I cared about Zac, I needed to do this for him."

"Your mother…convinced you to go to Hawaii…with your boyfriend? And convinced you that staying in the same room with him was ok???!" Greg was stunned.

"Dad, don't go back on me now…we've come a long way here already," Vanessa worried. "Mom and Starla had spent time with us throughout all of HSM. They saw something that we didn't apparently. Aren't parents supposed to know these kinds of things?"

"_Mothers_ apparently notice these things. Fathers, on the other hand, try to deny them for as long as we can. I'm just noting that I need to have a long conversation with your mother. She's avoided this topic for a long time thanks to my pouting!" Greg chuckled then his face got serious again. "Did you really share a bed in your room?"

Vanessa blushed. She knew she had to answer the question. She knew she and Zac had done nothing more than kissing and touching in that bed. But admitting even that to her father was hard. "Y-yes sir," she said.

"Yes sir?" Greg replied. "Care to expand on that?"

"Yes sir, we did share a bed in our room." Vanessa's face felt flush but she summoned up the courage to continue, her voice a little quieter than she expected. "We didn't the first night. Zac slept in a chair in the room. But I couldn't make him do that every night, and I wasn't going to have him sleep on the floor. I wanted…I offered to sleep on the floor the next two nights, but he's too much of a gentleman, he wouldn't have it." She didn't have a problem looking her father in the eyes as she talked about those first three nights. She remembered the little tiffs that she and Zac had had about the sleeping arrangements. By their fourth night there, they were tired of griping at each other and just gave into the fact that they would be sharing the bed. And by that day that had grown comfortable enough with each other to share some of the 'coupledome' that they had found during the day.

"That covers three nights. Do I need to know about the other three?" Greg urged her to continue. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Vanessa. I believe that you and Zac didn't have sex on this trip. I don't want to push this any further if you don't want to talk about it."

He believed her. Those were words that Vanessa had wanted to hear for so long now. That little bit of encouragement gave her the strength to go on. "Dad, I won't give you the details. Not even mom gets those," she quipped. But I will tell you that Zac and I were very, um, close, over those next three nights. Closer than we've been since we got back. No, we didn't… have sex, or make love, or whatever you choose to call it. But we kind of, well, explored each other, and talked about what we liked." Vanessa drew in a breath. "I think that's about as far as I can go with this. Does this help, us, me and you, Dad?"

"Just one more question, please?" Greg watched his daughter carefully. "You did this, um, exploring, in Hawaii. But you've just _now_ told each other that you love each other?"

"Yes." Vanessa hesitated. "I know we probably shouldn't have done what we did in Hawaii. As a parent you probably believe that it should've been saved for the person I love. But I think, in my mind, I already believed that I loved Zac, I just couldn't bring myself to tell him that. This all probably sounds backwards to you. I just hope it doesn't make you hate Zac more than you already did. I don't regret what we did Dad. Especially now. I think our time in Hawaii helped us figure out that we do love each other. Does any of this make sense?"

Greg just sat for a moment, trying to soak in and understand what his daughter was telling him. Vanessa and Zac seem to have put more thought into this friendship, this relationship, than what he thought. He drifted back for a moment to his early romance with Gina. Exploring had been part of their relationship too, if he was willing to admit it. "V, I'm glad that you and Zac didn't go farther than exploring. I'm no expert, but it seems that a LOT of young couples are taking that next step these days. I admit, I thought you had too, and I didn't want to face that. It wouldn't make me stop loving you. I'll always love you. "

"But you're disappointed in me." Vanessa said bluntly.

"I was," Greg stated. "But that's changing. I think I respect you more now than I ever have. I never thought a daughter of mine would tell me some of the things you've just shared with me." Greg stopped for a moment. "Baby V, I don't _hate_ Zac. I think I'm a bit jealous of him, but I wouldn't say hate, not at all." He saw Vanessa smile. "If he breaks your heart, leaves you at the altar or hurts my grandchildren, _then_ I will hate him. _Then_ I'll go after him like the scary father he thinks I am!"

"So you can't let him know how much of a push-over that you really are. Is that what you're saying here?" Vanessa kissed him on the cheek.

"Hey, I'm only a push-over for you and Stella, and maybe still for your mom a little bit. But I'll deny every word of it if you tell her that!" Greg pulled his daughter into his lap.

"But why are you jealous of Zac?" Vanessa pressed.

Greg sighed, "I think, because he has shared so much with you over the past couple of years. I haven't been able to be there to get to know him like your mom has. And I can just imagine that you both have so much more that you're going to share. I'm jealous that I can't be there with you and experience all this 'chaos' – isn't that what you called it?" It was Greg's turn to do some admitting.

"You know, the photo scandal, after you and me and your mom had that chat in the kitchen?"

"Yeah," Vanessa remembered it vividly.

"I heard your conversation with Zac on the phone that night."

"What? You were eavesdropping?" Vanessa didn't know what to say.

"Yes, I was. I apologize, but I'm glad I did. Baby V, that's the night that _I_ realized that this boy was more than just a passing phase for you. Just when I was ready to send you to a convent, because of what the other idiot had done to you, I heard you talking to Zac. He was able to soothe you enough that night. He was the one who stopped your tears, not me. And he seemed to have his arms wrapped around you, all the way from Australia to California. Whatever had happened in Hawaii…I knew that night that he had your heart. I'm not ready to give you up V, but as of tonight, I guess I can willingly share you with Zac."

"Dad, you never have to give me up. I'm _always_ your little girl, and you'll always be the first man in my life. Nobody can change that, not even Zac." She put her arms around her dad's shoulder and sank her head into the crook of his neck. Greg felt a few teardrops fall onto his skin from his daughter's eyes. He knew they were happy tears this time and he gave her one tight squeeze before she lifted her head and wiped at the tears. "Go call him. I know you're dying to! But don't you dare tell him I'm a push-over. I'll deny it to him too!"

Greg and Vanessa both laughed as she jumped out of his lap, grabbed her cell phone and headed up to her bedroom.

-----------------------------


	3. Trust Me

"Say it again, please?!"

Vanessa and Zac were walking along the beach, just like he had promised they would. It was Monday evening. The previous day the 18 and 19 year olds had had an eventful car ride together and ended up telling one another that they loved each other.

"Just one more time, please?" Vanessa asked with a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eye. Zac couldn't turn her down. "I – love – you!" he said, and emphasized each word with a kiss to her forehead and cheeks. Vanessa looked out at the waves with the smile plastered on her face and clung to Zac's arm as they walked in the sand.

They had hardly said anything else to each other since they had started walking. Both just kept looking at each other enjoying the company. During their Sunday confessions, Zac had told Vanessa that he wanted to bring her to the beach to let her know how he really felt about her. So, true to his word, he packed a picnic basket, blankets and a chilled bottle of sparkling grape juice and had headed to Vanessa's house to pick her up.

Zac's heart had dropped just a little bit when Vanessa's father had answered their door. "Oh hey, Mr. Hudgens. Um, I just wanted to take Vanessa out for some dinner. Is she home?"

Greg Hudgens' face softened into a near smile as he saw how uncomfortable his daughter's boyfriend seemed. Greg and Vanessa had had a heart to heart talk Sunday night after Zac brought her home. Greg was realizing that his little girl was growing up. And after making Zac squirm for the past year of their relationship, Greg got the feeling that he'd better start welcoming this young man into the family.

"Of course she's here Zachary. Didn't you just get off the phone with her an hour ago? She warned me that you were coming by and that she wouldn't be home for dinner tonight."

"Oh, yes sir, we talked not too long ago. I didn't know if she'd told you that I was coming by." Zac was still nervous, even though he did notice a change in Greg's demeanor.

"Before I tell her you're here, come in and chat with me a minute," Greg instructed. Of course Vanessa already knew Zac was there. She'd seen his car pull up in front of the house from the bedroom window. But Greg had instructed her to stay in her room until he called for her. He wanted to have a chat with Zac.

Zac was nervous. He knew after talking to Vanessa on the phone Sunday night that he was probably in for a 'chat' with her dad at some point. He wasn't quite as scared of Greg Hudgens now as he had been, but his stomach still held a bundle of quivering nerves.

"_I did it Zac!" Vanessa had quickly said when Zac answered his phone the night before. "I had a heart-to-heart talk with my dad on an adult level."_

"_And just how much 'adult' stuff came out in this talk Nessa? It doesn't sound like I need to come pick you up. You don't even sound upset."_

"_I'm not Zac. That's just it. I got to tell him about our trip to Hawaii, how it all came about, and he listened. He asked questions and I answered them straight out, I looked him straight in the eye and answered them. Then he looked back at me and talked to me like an eighteen year old, not a ten year old." Vanessa was beaming, even through the phone lines Zac could hear it in her voice. She hadn't talked this openly or happily about her father since she and Zac had first met during auditions._

"_So none of his questions upset you?" Zac was still curious._

"_I think I covered the upsetting topics and explained them before he had to ask any questions. The hardest thing I had to talk about was us sharing the bed in Hawaii." Vanessa admitted._

"_You told him what we did and he's still letting you talk to me??!" Vanessa could feel Zac blushing through the phone._

"_Zac, we didn't do anything wrong. But NO, I didn't give my father the details of what we did. I think the word I used was 'exploring'. I don't need him having nightmares, especially when he finally believes that we're both still virgins." _

"_Well the truth is the truth. 'Exploring?' Yeah, I'd say that's a good description…wait, you told your dad about us BOTH still being virgins. Geez woman, what got into you?" Zac didn't know if he should be shocked, relieved or even a bit intimidated by his girlfriend._

"_I guess you got into me, Zac." Vanessa said softly. "At least you're in my heart and in my head. I just went into the conversation with Dad knowing that he was NOT going to make me second-guess myself. Not when it came to falling in love with you! And I figured that if I needed to be straight-forward and blunt about things, then that was what I was going to do. And I did."_

"_And yet we're still talking on the phone and he's not headed to my apartment with a weapon of some sort?"_

"_Zac, no. He may be outside my room right now eavesdropping on our conversation…but he's not headed to your house."_

"_What? Eavesdropping…is your father known for that?"_

"_Well, he wasn't until tonight. But that's something we'll talk about later. Have you unpacked yet?"_

"_Whatever you say Ness, whatever you say. No, I haven't unpacked yet. Why, did you put some of your stuff in my suitcase again?" Zac grinned as the subject changed._

"_No,my sweet love, well at least I don't think I did. But I've gotta go unpack too. I'd almost hoped that dad was upset and that you'd have to come get me…just so I could see you again. I miss you." Vanessa leaned back on her pillows._

"_I miss you too! But it's only been a couple of hours. And I'll see you tomorrow night, right?!"_

"_Absolutely! Call me?"_

"_You know I will. Nessa…I love you!" Zac smiled. The words were still new to him, yet for her they rolled gently off his tongue._

"_I love you too Zac!" Vanessa beamed. "Sweet Dreams!"_

Now here was Zac in the Hudgens' living room where Vanessa had conquered her fears last night. Here he was standing in front of the same man who could bless their relationship or break it apart with just a few words. Zac could only hope that Vanessa's dad would offer him the same sincerity that he afforded his daughter the night before. Was there a chance of that? Slim to none.

"Would you like a drink?" Greg offered to Zac.

"Um, a water would be great if you don't mind, Mr. Hudgens." Zac could feel his throat going dry with every word. He and Greg had talked a few times but the words were very few and they usually revolved around sporting events on the tv. On this particular evening, the tv wasn't even on.

Greg retrieved a bottle of water from the refrigerator for Zac and a glass of tea for himself. Then he strolled back into the living room and sat down in his chair. "Have a seat Zac." Greg directed.

"Yes sir." Zac replied and sat down.

"_My_ Baby V and I had a nice conversation last night after you brought her home. Did she tell you about that?" Greg glanced at Zac over top of his reading glasses.

"Yes sir, she did tell me, when she called me last night. She seemed very, well, very happy at how it went." Zac took a drink of his water.

Greg took his glasses off. "I was very happy at how it went as well. Zac, you seem to be a positive influence on my daughter at the moment."

"Well I hope to be one for longer than a moment." Zac interrupted unintentionally.

"So I understand," Greg responded. "We just need to get a few things straight, and make sure we understand each other, and some ground rules. Would you agree?"

"Yes sir." Zac took another drink and clamped his mouth shut to listen intently to what Greg was about to say.

Neither man knew that their significant others had come to the door to listen. Gina and Vanessa both felt they had a vested interest in the conversation. And both wanted to make sure that Greg didn't scare the living daylight out of poor, unsuspecting Zachary.

Greg continued. "You've already shared a bed with my daughter and told her that you loved her…in that order. You've met each other's families and spent more time traveling with each other than many circus acts do. You've been thrown into the public eye and have stood up to the test. Would you say that I'm correct so far?"

Zac felt his own courage building. "Yes sir, I would say all of that is correct."

"When my daughter was caught off guard, and made a fool of by an absolute idiot, how did that make you feel?" Greg was jumping around on his subjects, but he knew what he was trying to get from Zac…an honest, heart-felt reaction…and something besides 'Yes sir'.

"You're looking for an honest answer from me sir? Something that will tell you how I feel about Vanessa, right?" Zac tensed.

"Yes Zac, just honestly tell me what you felt."

"Mr. Hudgens, I first wanted to get on the next flight from Australia and back here to California as soon as possible. I wanted to wrap Vanessa in my arms and make all the hurt go away. When I heard her crying on the phone, so many times, I just wanted to hide her away somewhere to get her away from all the crap that she was going through. Second, I wanted to get my hands on that son of a…sorry, whatever, idiot and kill him for doing this to her! How could anyone want to hurt her? What has she done that was worth exposing her like that." Zac took a breath. "And third…since I'm speaking honestly…I wanted to come up here and confront you for raising your voice to her the night that she sat down to talk to you and Gina. She was opening up to you Mr. Hudgens. And I know you didn't like the trip that we took to Hawaii, but she's still your little girl, and she needed your comfort that night." Zac had looked Greg straight in the eyes with this answer, just as Vanessa had done on Sunday with their conversation. Zac leaned back on the couch and took another sip of water.

He kept looking at Greg's face. "I won't, I can't apologize for those feelings. You want my honest answer, there it is. I love your daughter Mr. Hudgens. We may have only admitted that to each other yesterday, but it's been coming for a long time now. I think I loved her since after we filmed the first movie. As we shot the last scene, all I could think about was whether or not I'd get to see Vanessa again. The other kids, we're all friends, but I was worried about losing Vanessa. I know I've never felt like this for any other girl. I know when I'm around her I'm happy. And I even know that my mom has seen something different in me over the past year…Mom's the one who told me I was in love with her, cause I didn't know what I was feeling." Zac felt a presence sit down beside him and turned to see Vanessa with tears in her eyes.

Greg felt Gina wrap her arms around his neck from behind his chair. He looked up to find her with tears in her eyes as well. Then he looked back at Zac who had wrapped his arm around Vanessa's shoulders and pulled her head to his neck. As Vanessa wiped the tears from her eyes she met her father's gaze. Through the lump in his throat Greg said, "Go. Wherever you two are headed, go and have fun…you know what I mean!" He cleared his throat as Zac and Vanessa stood up. Greg walked them both to the door.

"By the way, Zac," Greg said as they opened the door. "You can call me Greg now."

The two kids just smiled. Zac took Vanessa's hand as they headed to his car.

Greg and Gina stood at the door and watched them drive away. "So he passes your test?" Gina smiled at her husband.

"I'd say I'd have to give _that_ young man an 'A'." Greg took his wife by the hand and they closed the door behind them.

---------------------------

"That wasn't as bad as I expected," Zac said as he spread the blanket out on the beach. Vanessa handed him the picnic basket and sat down on the blanket as Zac started pulling out their food. "What can I say, I softened him up for you yesterday." Vanessa smiled.

"Yeah, but he had last night and all day today to think about it all over again. He could've had second thoughts about everything and sent me screaming out of your house." Zac shuddered a little.

"Zac, my dad's not a monster you know." Vanessa pouted. "He's just protective of me. And from what you told him, you are too." She glanced over at him as he pulled two sandwiches from the basket.

"I am, and I plan to continue for a very long time." Zac handed her a sandwich and poured some of the sparkling grape juice into her glass. "I meant what I told your dad Nessa. Yes, I've probably practiced that speech a dozen times in my head…the part about loving you. He threw me a curve ball though, asking about the picture mess. But you know, what I said about that, it's all true. You know that don't you? If you had said the word, I would've been back here with you. Screw my 'contractual duties'. If you wanted me here I would've been here."

"I know." Vanessa looked away from Zac. "I did want you here Zac. You know _that_ don't you?" She glanced back at him to see him staring at the blanket. "The night that I talked to Mom and Dad and then called you. I wanted to be with you that night, more than anything." She stopped for a minute and sighed remembering it again.

"That's the night that Dad said he was eavesdropping on our phone conversation. He came up to my room to make amends and heard me on the phone with you. Then he sat and listened to the conversation."

"Did you know this all along?" Zac looked back at her.

"Nope, just found out last night. This was part of our father/daughter chat." Vanessa smiled.

"Are you sure you should be sharing it with me?" Zac rubbed her hand on the blanket as he pushed some hair out of her eyes with his other hand.

"I think it'll give you a little more insight about my father." Vanessa said as she leaned her head into Zac's hand. "Dad says that's the night he knew you had my heart."

"Those were _his_ words?" Zac was a little amused.

"Yeah, his words, not mine." Vanessa said seriously. "Even though he only heard my side of our conversation, he said he could tell that you were soothing me and comforting me, even from thousands of miles away." Vanessa looked down at her feet which were curled underneath her on the blanket. "He said that made him a little jealous of you. That you could comfort me that night and he couldn't."

They both just looked at each other. Zac scooted closer to her and took her in his arms. "He came into my room later that night and we hugged, and he told me that he loved me. That certainly helped me sleep that night. But Zac, if you hadn't calmed me down, just talking to me…I don't know what I would've done."

Zac pulled her onto his lap and put his hands on her cheeks gently coaxing her to look at him. "Your father loves you, and will go to the end of the earth to protect you. The only difference between me and Greg Hudgens is that my love is new to you. I _will_ love you physically when the time is right. But right now your dad and I love you with all of our hearts and _we_ will never let you be hurt like that again."

Vanessa leaned her head onto Zac's chest and just listened to his heartbeat for a minute. She looked back up at him and smiled. "Let's walk before we eat, okay?" She asked.

Zac nodded. Vanessa climbed off his lap and helped him to his feet. As they headed down the beach she took hold of his arm with both hands, leaning on him.

"Say it again, please?!"

---------------------------

She wasn't about to let this night be marred by a mess that they had put behind them. She and Zac had let the photo scandal go long ago. And now, her father was doing the same thing. Zac had just completely stunned her by vowing to team with her dad to fight any issues like this that might rear its ugly head in the future.

They had walked for about fifteen minutes with Vanessa just asking Zac over and over again to tell her that he loved her. And every time she asked, Zac was happy to oblige.

Neither of them could believe where they were in their relationship. What started so slowly over a year before suddenly seemed to be moving ahead so quickly. Zac was a little shocked at how forward he had been with Vanessa's dad. The conversation was really just coming back to him. But he liked what he was remembering. He was actually quite proud of himself for the maturity he had shown. He had left Mr. Hudgens nearly speechless. He knew he would likely pay for that eventually. Zac was sure there were more questions that Greg would want to ask. He had skipped the one question that Zac had practiced for. "What are your intentions for my daughter?"

Zac chuckled to himself as he pictured Greg asking that question. They were walking back to their picnic when Vanessa heard him laugh. "What's so funny," she inquired. "Oh, I'm just running back through the conversation with your dad. I think I still have some questions to answer at some point." Zac planted another kiss on the top of Vanessa's head as they walked.

"Well with the answers you gave tonight, I don't see dad asking you anything else. What else would there be?" Vanessa gazed up at him.

"Oh, I'm just picturing him asking me what my 'intentions' are for you." Zac smiled again. "I practiced my answer for that one!"

"Care to fill me in on your answer and why it's so amusing?" Now Vanessa was really curious.

"Well, the answer I practiced wasn't funny at all." Zac looked at her with a serious face that soon softened. "But knowing now that your dad's okay with me and you, I just thought of another answer."

"Okay, give me the not so serious answer first then." Vanessa stopped and turned to look at Zac.

"Oh, I just thought when he asks what my intentions are, I could tell him that I 'intend to take you back to Hawaii and share a bed with you again.'" Zac smirked.

"Zachary David! You're making me blush. Please promise me you won't actually say that to my father! I'd really like to have you live through another q and a session with him." Vanessa laughed to herself, thinking of how her father might react to an answer like that. "So what was your serious answer going to be? Any future plans you want to share with me yet?" She sounded a little hopeful.

"Well I really don't think that I'd tell him how I intend to make love to you someday." That earned a strong smack to his arm.

"Zac! Seriously!" Vanessa refused to take his hand again.

"I seriously wanted to tell him that I intend to have you at my side for a long time and enjoy our time together. I wanted to let him know that I intend to marry you eventually, if you agree to that, and I hope that someday we'll be able to bless him and Gina, and my mom and dad with grandchildren." Zac took Vanessa's hand again and kissed it.

"Are my intentions lining up with yours at all?" Zac looked into her eyes.

"I think your intentions and my intentions are following the same path." Vanessa stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Zac's lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist to support her and the kiss.

Both had smiles on their faces as they wandered back to their picnic basket and blanket.

------------------------


	4. Trust in Tragedy 1

Zac and Vanessa were quibbling over coffee brands in the grocery store when Zac's phone rang. "Hey dad, what's up?" Zac answered with a smile but his face quickly dropped. "Why didn't you call me sooner? It's gonna take me three hours to get there, Dad, can she hang on that long? I'll be on my way as soon as I drop Vanessa at home. What? I dunno if she can, I'll see. Dad, tell her I love her, please?" Zac hung up the phone with tears in his eyes.

"Zac, honey, what's wrong?" Vanessa knew it was something serious but she couldn't hear anything that David Efron had said on the other end of the line.

"My, um, my Gramma Aames…mom's mom…she had a heart attack. She's in intensive care. It doesn't look good." Zac was shaking. They left the shopping cart in the middle of the aisle and Vanessa took him by the hand and led him to his car.

"What can I do?" Vanessa had already taken the keys from Zac and was making sure he got buckled into the passenger seat. Zac didn't like for anyone else to drive his car. But in this case, Vanessa wasn't taking 'no' as an answer. She started the car and headed toward his apartment.

"Um, I gotta grab a suitcase and throw some clothes in it and head home." Vanessa's phone rang in her purse. Zac grabbed it for her and looked even more confused. "Uh, my dad's calling you, do you want me to answer it?"

"No, no. He must be calling me for a reason. Just let me pull over for a minute. I'm sure it won't take long, he knows you want to get on the road." Vanessa slid into the next parking lot to take the call. "Hey David, it's Vanessa. What can I do?"

"Vanessa, I don't want Zac making this drive alone. I assume you were there when I called him a few minutes ago?" Zac's father was all too familiar with his son.

"Yes, right beside him. I'm driving him home right now to get some clothes."

"Vanessa, honey, Starla wants you to come up with Zac. She, well, she thinks he's going to need you here. The situation doesn't look good at all." Vanessa looked at her boyfriend who had leaned his head back against the seat with tears streaming down his face. "We understand if you can't make it, but please, if there's any chance…"

Vanessa didn't even let him finish. "I'll be there. If that's what you want, if you think that's what Zac needs, I'll be there."

"I know he wants to get here quickly, but you guys take the time you need. Get here safely. She's on life support right now. Grandpa Aames won't let her go without seeing her grandsons." David's voice trailed off. Vanessa heard him talking to someone else, she assumed it was Zac's mom, Starla. "Honey, it's okay. I'm talking to Vanessa right now. She's going to come up with him. He'll be fine if Vanessa's with him. You know she'll take care of him and get him here. Go with your dad, I'll be in in a minute." His voice turned back to Vanessa. "Vanessa, dear, I've gotta go. They're letting Starla and her dad go in to see her mom, I need to go with them. I've gotta turn my phone off though."

"Okay," Vanessa answered. "We'll be on our way in half an hour. Oh, David, what hospital?"

"Saint Luke, Toluca Lake." He answered.

"Does Zac know where that is?" If needed, Vanessa figured she'd get her mom to get directions and call them on the way.

"He should know. Tell him it's where mom had her knee surgery a few years ago. That should remind him. If not, go by the house and one of the neighbors can fill you in. We'll see you both a little later."

"Got it," Vanessa answered. "Take care of Starla and Grandpa Aames. We'll be there as soon as we can."

She turned to look at Zac and found him staring at her, still with tears in his eyes. Vanessa put her phone away and grabbed Zac's hand. He just pulled it to his lips and kissed her soft skin. She turned and gave him a warm but sad smile as she headed back to his apartment.

"Grab your suitcase and your toiletry bag. I've gotta call mom and dad and tell them what's going on." Vanessa took charge as they hurried into Zac's apartment. "I think I have a pair of jeans and a sweater in the closet. Just throw those into your suitcase and uh, put one of your old t-shirts in there for me too. I doubt we'll be sleeping much, but just in case, at least I'll have that."

Zac started following directions. He was trying hard to focus on what Vanessa was saying and not the situation with his grandmother. "Ness?" He couldn't stop his mind from swirling. "Yeah?" She answered from the living room. "Is my mom okay?" Another set of tears started forming in his eyes.

"Oh baby," Vanessa ran into the bedroom and wrapped her arms around him. "She's okay right now. She's trying to be strong for your Grandpa. Your dad's right there with both of them." She was trying to comfort him. But she knew he wouldn't find any comfort until they got to the hospital and he was able to analyze the situation for himself. "What about Dyl? Where is he?" Zac asked. Vanessa didn't know the answer to that question. "I don't know. Your dad didn't say. I kinda assumed he was there at the hospital, but I don't know. David had to turn his phone off, or I'd call him back."

"No, no we don't need to do that. I was just wondering." Zac rambled. "Go, call your mom and dad. Wait, didn't you have an appointment with your agent tomorrow? You can't miss that."

"I'll have mom take care of that. Yes, I can miss it. This is family Zac, family comes first, no matter if it's mine or yours." Vanessa answered directly. "You just go pack. Let me take care of these phone calls."

"Okay, I'm going." Zac answered like a twelve year old boy to his mother.

--------------------------------

"Mom, Zac's got a family emergency. We've gotta go to Toluca Lake asap." Vanessa reached her mom at home. "His grandmother had a heart attack. The situation doesn't look good according to David. He's at the hospital with Starla and her dad. What? No, we don't have time to come by the house, I had some jeans and a sweater here that I'll take. If I need something else I'll just buy it there, or I'll call you and dad to overnight it to me. We'll be careful mom, I promise." Vanessa turned her head toward the window and looked outside while listening to her mom.

"I don't know anymore than that mom. She's on life support and it doesn't look good. That's what David said. They don't want Zac to drive up alone, and Starla said she wants me to be there for Zac. I can only assume the worst and I need to be there for all of them. I will, Mom, I'll call if I need you. Oh, Mom, I was supposed to have a meeting with John tomorrow. Can you call and cancel that for me? No, don't reschedule, I'm not sure when we'll be back. Okay, gotta go, I'll call you when I know more. Thanks Mom, love you!"

She turned around to find Zac behind her with a suitcase in hand. Vanessa wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head to her shoulder. "This is from Mom." She said as she kissed his cheek. "She's saying a prayer for Grandma and the whole family right now." Zac took Vanessa by the hand and grabbed the suitcase in the other and headed out the door.

"Why don't you let me drive?" Vanessa asked as they reached the car.

"No." Zac said as he put the suitcase in the trunk. "I'm okay. I can do this. If I don't drive I'm just going to be a basket case by the time we get there." He slid into the driver's side as Vanessa climbed in beside him. They both knew this three-hour drive to Zac's hometown was going to take forever.

---------------------------


	5. Trust in Tragedy 2

As they pulled into the hospital parking lot Vanessa could see Zac's jaw tense. Behind the sunglasses she could see the tear stains on his cheekbones. And she could see his strong arms start to quiver as the tears formed again. They both could only imagine what they would find when they got inside the hospital.

They found their way to the information desk and Zac fidgeted as they waited for the receptionist. "Hi, we're here for Amanda Aames? I think she's in intensive care?" He wasn't really listening after he asked the question but he stood patiently.

"Third floor," said the receptionist. "Take the elevators over there then turn to the right when you get to the third floor and follow the signs. There will be an information desk for ICU and a specific waiting room. It's not like other areas of the hospital, there are only specific times during the day when you can go in and see your relative. They can fill you in on that information at the ICU information desk."

Vanessa took Zac by the hand and led him to the elevator. She could see that he had gone into his family zone again. She was glad to be here to help him however she could.

Vanessa decided to stop in the ICU waiting room first before trying the information desk. She figured someone from the family might be in the waiting room, and she was right. David and Dylan were both there. She urged Zac into the waiting area and pointed to his father and brother in the corner. David stood up immediately and came over to embrace his oldest son. "What happened?" was all Zac could ask.

As David tried to fill Zac in on the events of the morning, Dylan just sat in the corner staring into his hands. Zac's fourteen year old brother was just as attached to their grandparents as Zac was. Vanessa wandered away from Zac while he was talking to his father, and sat down next to Dylan. As soon as the teenager saw his brother's girlfriend he just started crying. Vanessa opened her arms and wrapped them around him as she tried to comfort his aching heart. Dylan just put his head on Vanessa's shoulder and let the tears fall. He had been strong for his mom and grandfather and his father. But something about Vanessa's concern just coaxed it out of him.

Zac and David both heard the quiet sobs from the corner and looked up to see Dylan in Vanessa's arms. David reached them first and started apologizing to Vanessa. "He's been so strong all afternoon, I guess it's just sinking in. I'm sorry Vanessa."

"Please don't apologize." Vanessa looked at David and then turned her attention back to Dylan. "Hey, it's okay Dyl, let it out. I'm right here, I'm not letting go till you're ready."

At this point Zac was crying too. He wasn't sure how, but he was going to have to let Vanessa stay with Dylan. David took his oldest son in his arms and tried to offer him comfort, knowing that he wanted to be in Dylan's place right now.

As Zac's tears subsided he lifted his head from his father's shoulder and looked back to where Vanessa was still holding and talking quietly to his little brother. "She's quite the young lady Zac." David said to him. They watched as Vanessa took a tissue and helped Dylan wipe his face. Dylan nodded and Vanessa rubbed his back for a second before she got up and walked over to David and Zac.

"I think he's a little better now," Vanessa said quietly.

"You have quite the motherly touch," David noted, smiling at Vanessa.

She quickly took Zac's hand and squeezed it. "I guess it's just something that comes naturally in this kind of situation." Vanessa knew she could expect tears all around her throughout the evening as friends and family would be coming to check on Mrs. Aames. And they hadn't even seen Starla or Grandpa Aames yet. David led them back to the corner of chairs that they had claimed for their family. There was already a blanket and some pillows scattered on the chairs.

They sat there together for about fifteen minutes before Starla and Alexander Aames came back into the waiting area. It would be another two hours before family could go in again. Starla's tears started flowing freely when she saw her oldest son. He embraced his mom and burst into tears himself. Starla composed herself quickly and started wiping away Zac's tears. She looked around the room, "Where's Vanessa?"

Vanessa had just stayed seated when Starla and Grandpa Aames came in. She stood up quickly when Starla asked for her. Zac's mom stepped away from him momentarily as she embraced his girlfriend. "Thank you for getting him here safely," Starla whispered to her. "How did he do on the drive up?" Again Starla whispered the question to Vanessa and led her momentarily away from Zac.

Vanessa started quietly, "He had a really hard time when David first called. I drove back to the apartment and helped get things packed. Zac drove up here. I think the driving distracted him enough…he didn't break the sound barrier…but, well you know how he drives." Starla smiled sweetly knowing that the young lady beside her had really offered the distraction for Zac. That's why she wanted Vanessa by his side.

Alexander Aames came up to his oldest grandson and put his arm around him. "Zachary?" Zac did his best to be strong for his grandfather. "Let's chat Zac. Me, you and Dylan, we need to talk." Zac and his brother and grandfather wandered to another part of the waiting room while David and Vanessa sat with Starla. Considering the situation, Vanessa was somewhat surprised, she didn't feel out of place. She felt almost like one of their family.

And while Grandpa Aames talked to his grandsons, Starla Efron explained the situation to her husband and Vanessa. As Grandpa put his hands on the boys' backs, Starla took Vanessa and David's hands in hers. "The machines are keeping her alive," they both explained. "She didn't want to live like this." If there was an option, Amanda Aames' wishes were very simple. She wanted them to let her go.

As hard as it would be, Zac and Dylan needed to tell their Grandmother goodbye when they were allowed to see her. When the family came back together they all looked stronger, as though they were pulling strength from each other, in honor of their grandmother.

Zac sat down beside Vanessa and took her hand in his. "Did mom tell you what's happening?" He asked.

"Yes." Vanessa said softly.

"They're going to turn the machines off after Dyl and I get to see her. Then it's just a matter of time." Zac was sounding stronger but Vanessa could tell his voice was still shaky.

"I know you don't have a choice, but are you okay with that?" Vanessa asked honestly.

"I have to be, Ness. It's what Grandma wanted. I've got to be strong enough to let her go instead of wanting her to live on some machines the rest of her life. And who knows how long that would last. If Mom and Grandpa want this, then I do too…and so does Dyl."

Dylan came back and sat down by Zac and Vanessa. This time he leaned his head over on Zac's shoulder and let a few tears run down his face. Zac put his arm around his little brother, determined to stay strong for him. When Dylan sat back up Zac stood up and walked over to his mom.

"Mom, when we go in, can Nessa come with us?" Zac's jaw was set, making the question very tense coming from his mouth.

It wasn't his mom, but his grandfather who answered the question. "Manda would be a little offended if she didn't." Zac was shocked.

"Grandpa, Gramma won't even know we're in there. And she's only met Nessa like twice, maybe three times." Zac looked at his grandfather curiously.

"Maybe so, but after the first time she saw the two of you together she was already planning the wedding." Alexander smiled a little as he said the words out loud.

"What?" Starla jumped into the conversation.

"We watched that first musical movie of yours, that High School Musical. Manda thought you two were just the cutest thing! Then when Vanessa came up with you for Dylan's birthday party…my word, I didn't hear the end of her matchmaking plans. On the way home from that party she gave ME specific instructions."

Starla and Zac just looked at Alexander in amazement as he pulled a ring box out of his pocket. "Dad, what are you doing? What's this about?" Starla questioned.

"One of the last things that Manda said to me this morning was 'Give this to Zac.'" Alexander held the box gingerly in his fingertips. He was determined not to cry.

"Zachary, this is the engagement ring that I gave to your grandmother fifty-four years ago." Alexander said quietly. "Now isn't the right time, I know that. But your grandmother gave me specific instructions to get this ring to you. She said, when the time IS right, you would know who to give it to."

Starla covered her mouth and blinked back more tears as she realized that she and her mother had come to the same conclusion at about the same time. Zac and Vanessa were destined to be together.

Zac took the ring box and squeezed it in his hand. He didn't need to open it to see what was inside. The delicate diamond set in rose gold had been on his grandmother's hand since before he was born. At their fiftieth wedding anniversary she chose to take it off, saying, "If he doesn't know we're married by now, this ring won't help!" Zac remembered her hand looked empty without the second ring on her finger.

"Zachary," Starla started…

"I know mom, I know." He slid the box into his pocket wondering when the time would be right. Somehow he would figure out the timing. And he had a feeling that his grandmother would be watching over them, helping him make the decision.

Zac went back and sat down by Vanessa. He wanted so desperately to kiss her right there and slide that ring on her finger. But he knew better. There would be a right time and a right place, but this wasn't it.


	6. Trust in Memories

The next hour was excruciating. The family sat in the waiting room just counting the minutes until they could go back in and say goodbye to Mrs. Aames. They had decided that Dylan, Zac and Vanessa would go in first. Then David and Starla would switch out with them and finally Alexander would join them and try to let Amanda go.

Vanessa offered to run and get something for everyone to snack on as they waited. Starla admitted she could use a diet Coke and Dylan was fidgeting, he could really use a walk and a bottle of water. The three teens decided to take a walk to the cafeteria. They left the adults in the waiting room, knowing the situation would not get worse before they returned.

Zac took Vanessa's hand as they headed down the hallway. Dylan straggled behind by just a couple of steps. Vanessa reached her other hand behind her to him and Dylan gingerly put his fingers into hers. Dylan glanced up at Zac sheepishly as the two brothers both tried to get closer to the wonderful girl in between them. Zac wrapped his arm around Vanessa's waist and pulled her a little closer, but he made no attempt to dislodge Dylan's hand from hers. They walked silently to the elevators, each with separate thoughts of Amanda Aames running through their minds.

When they reached the cafeteria Zac and Vanessa grabbed some bottled waters and headed for the checkout. Dylan had grabbed a cup for coke, and one for his mom's diet coke. They all met at the cash register and Vanessa pulled out the cash to pay for their drinks.

"Let's stay down here just a few minutes, can we?" Dylan asked. "I've been in that waiting room since noon, I just need to look at something different for a little while."

"Dyl, did you go in to see Grandma at all?" Zac had just assumed that his little brother had gone in to see her.

"No, not yet." Dylan dropped his eyes down to the table. "Zac, I just don't know if I can handle seeing her, just laying there with all those machines hooked up to her."

"I know what you're saying little brother." Zac sucked in a deep breath. "I never thought my last time seeing Grandma would be like this." Vanessa could see the tears glistening in both boys' eyes again.

"Guys," Vanessa nudged, "You know your Grandma wouldn't want you to remember her this way. It's like Grandpa said, she wouldn't want to continue living like this. So you know she wants you to remember her in happier times, not here in this…environment."

"You're right," they both agreed and smiled softly at Vanessa. "Dylan," Zac started, "tell me something you remember about Grandma."

Dylan smiled. "I remember her trying to play video games with me when I had the measles a few years ago. She really, really tried. She wouldn't let me win, but she was trying to be gentle as she really worked to beat me…but it was hopeless. She got so frustrated, I think she almost cursed at the tv a couple of times." Dylan finally laughed thinking about it. "She finally said she would just consider the time as practice and maybe she'd be able to beat Zac when he got home from school."

"That's why she insisted on playing that game with me before I started my homework. You know she almost beat me and I was really impressed!" Zac smiled a quirky grin. "I also remember how she took us in when Mom and Dad used to go on their anniversary trips." He looked at Vanessa. "Dyl and I could never figure out why Mom and Dad insisted on getting away from _us_ on their anniversary. And we would always ask Grandma why they were going away. Every year, without fail, we would ask her."

"How did she explain it to you?" Vanessa smiled just imagining Amanda avoiding the very adult reason that Starla and David wanted to get away. She was also imagining the curiosity of two pre-teen boys who wanted to know _everything_ that happened with their parents.

Dylan was trying to remember her various explanations. Zac pulled one right off the top of his head. "I remember one year she looked me straight in the eye and said, 'Maybe this year they've gone to get your little sister.' I think my eyes bugged out of my head and I just turned around and went looking for Grandpa. I spent that whole weekend thinking that Mom and Dad would come back with a minivan and a pink car seat and another little person riding with them. I don't think I was scared, but Grandma kept dropping hints about it that whole weekend."

"She was a little devious then?" Vanessa asked, still smiling at Zac.

"Mom says that's where Dyl and I get it from." Zac cocked his eyebrows up and down a couple of times in Vanessa's direction.

"Then a little piece of her will live on for a very long time," Vanessa commented.

The three teens agreed on this somewhat happy point and headed back up to the ICU. As soon as they walked in with soft smiles on all of their faces, David and Starla were impressed again. They knew that Vanessa had helped turn the boys' sadness around, at least for a little while.

Dylan brought a drink to his mom and sat down beside her, giving her a kiss on her cheek. "You okay my baby?" Starla asked him.

"Yeah, a little better, I guess. This is just something we have to accept. And I realize now that Grandma and Grandpa will both be better off if we can let her go now." Dylan stopped to think for a minute. "Vanessa and Zac helped me think about Grandma in happy times, and that helped a lot," he admitted.

Starla squeezed Dylan's hand and looked over at Zac and Vanessa who had sat down opposite from them. They were talking quietly to each other, Zac having his arm around Vanessa's shoulders, holding her close. Starla could see the outline of the ring box in Zac's pocket. There was no doubt in her mind who Zac would give that ring to eventually. And she could only think that she would be proud to be Vanessa's mom-in-law.

Finally that long hour came to an end and Amanda's family was called back to say their final farewells.

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	7. Trust in Goodbye

Zac and Dylan and Vanessa were the first ones to walk into the very-sanitized intensive care unit room. Both of the boys sucked in a shocked breath as they looked at their Grandmother for the first time in this condition. She wasn't awake, she wasn't moving. A tube in her throat and the numerous wires stringing from her body were her lifeline.

Both boys stepped closer to the bed. Zac reached out and took his Grandmother's fragile hand in his. Vanessa stood behind them both, a hand on Zac's shoulder. Vanessa felt him start to shake as he kissed Amanda's hand and let his tears fall onto her bruised skin.

Zac sat down in the chair at the bedside with Amanda's hand still in his. He knew there was something he wanted to tell this woman, besides goodbye. But he didn't want Dylan or Vanessa to hear him. He turned and looked at Vanessa. "I, I need just a minute with her, please. You don't need to go outside, but can you give me just a little space for a minute?"

Vanessa was surprised, but she did as Zac asked. She walked over close to the door with Dylan, both of them holding back tears. Vanessa barely knew this woman, but she knew how much her boyfriend loved, adored and respected her. His love for his grandmother was obvious to Vanessa. He gave her the same kind of look that he gave Vanessa, one that expressed his love and admiration for her.

Zac looked at his grandmother, trying to piece his words together. He patted his pocket and looked down at the outline of the box. "Grandma," he whispered closely, "I have the ring. I think you know who will be wearing it next. How do you and mom know these things?" He shook his head a little. "I'm still gonna need your help with this, though, Grandma. I'm too young, we're too young for this right now. So please, please help me know when the time is right. I know you'll be in a place where you'll be able to give me a sign of some kind. I'm a guy, Grandma, I'm kinda dense in the love area. So please, just help me know when the time is right to offer this to Vanessa. And Grandma, if you have any say in the matter, can you help Grandpa hang on to see me get married? I know if he's there that you'll be there too." Zac had just a few tears left in his eyes as he squeezed Amanda's hand. "I know I can trust in our future if you're watching over us Grandma. I love you." And with that he carefully placed her hand back on the bed and kissed her forehead.

Zac turned and walked back to Vanessa and Dylan. He wrapped his arms around Vanessa's petite body and they both cried together. After a couple of minutes they both let go of each other and turned their attention to Dylan again. The fourteen-year-old didn't look as lonely or hurt as he had earlier in the day. But he still needed some extra support.

Zac and Vanessa both put their hands on his shoulders and walked with him to the bedside. Dylan gingerly touched his grandmother's hand, stroking it around the wires that were attached there. He looked at Vanessa and Zac as he started speaking. The words came as a bit of a shock to Vanessa and Zac, but they could tell they were words that Dylan had gone over in his head throughout that day.

"Grandma, I'm gonna miss you. We're all gonna miss you. But I've been looking at our family all through the day and I know you would be proud of all of us. Grandpa and Mom are so strong, making these tough decisions. You raised them both and taught them well." He laughed just a little under his breath at the thought of his grandma 'raising' his grandfather. But it was true in a way. Without her in his life, their grandfather's success probably wouldn't have been. But with her by his side, his grandfather was focused and able to achieve at least some of his dreams, their dreams.

"Grandma, thank you for Mom, and for supporting her and Dad, and me and Zac. You've been there for us all the time. I can't imagine what it'll be like without you, but I know this is for the best." Vanessa and Zac wiped tears from their eyes as they listened to Dylan's profound words. But when he continued the couple was the most surprised.

"And Grandma, there's somebody else here with our family today. I know she's not officially part of the family yet. But we all know it's just a matter of time before she is. Grandma, I wish you had had more time to get to know Vanessa. I know you'd love her and welcome her into our family." Dylan looked at Vanessa and said, "I don't think Zac or I could get through this day without her here." Then he turned to Zac. "Grandma, I hope you can help me find a girl like her someday. And I hope her love with Zac and the love that I find will be able to last just like yours and Grandpa's has. Thank you Grandma, I love you."

Vanessa's tears had dried and her eyes now held a look of shock. Was her love for Zac that obvious, that even a fourteen year old could see it? She doubted that Zac had talked to his little brother about their future, but Dylan seemed to see the picture pretty clearly. All Vanessa could think to do was get closer to Zac at the moment. She loved what Dylan was saying and it just made her want to be as close to the man she loved as possible. She stepped around Dylan's back and put her arms around Zac's waist. He put his arms around her again as well and pulled her into a tight hug.

Dylan turned around to look at them. They didn't know what to say. It was a conversation they would talk about later after they had time to digest what Dyl had said. With tears in their eyes they all smiled at each other. None of them looked back at the fragile body they were leaving behind. They walked out of the room and allowed their parents and grandfather to have their time.

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For the first time that day, Vanessa was feeling overwhelmed. She wasn't feeling pressure, but she was beginning to understand that she already was a part of this family. And she was beginning to wonder if there were any expectations for her to live up to the examples that Amanda and Starla had both set in the previous generations.

She was still clinging to Zac as they walked back into the private family room that had been made available to them. Zac could see a different look on Vanessa's face now. It was one similar to what he had seen a few months ago after another trip they had made to Toluca Lake. He knew Vanessa wouldn't admit anything to him right now because of the situation with his grandmother. But he needed her to know that he could see the worry in her face and that she could open up to him, whenever she felt ready.

"Do you mind if I call my mom?" Vanessa looked at him through weary eyes.

"Of course not. Do you want to call her in here, or do you need to step outside?" Zac rubbed her back gently.

"No, I'll just go over here and sit in the corner. Are you and Dyl okay for a few minutes?" She tried to smile at Zac.

"Yeah, baby, we're fine. Are you sure you're okay?" His attention was now focusing again on Vanessa, knowing that there was nothing more he could do for his grandmother. He was here – they were here – and he had a feeling his grandma knew that.

"I will be. I just need to talk to mom." Vanessa sat down in the padded seat that was stationed in a back corner of the room. She noticed a Bible on the table beside her and the gentle floral pattern of the wallpaper next to her. She took out her cell phone and started to speed dial Gina and then stopped.

"Zac?" He had turned to walk away from her.

"Yeah Ness?" He turned back to her quickly.

"Any idea what will be done…I mean, funeral arrangements…will there be a wake in the next few days?" She was trying to be as gentle as possible with her choice of words. "I, I'm just wondering if you…if _we'll_ be staying up here for the funeral, or will we be going home and coming back?"

Zac was amazed at her foresight. He was barely able to think about what was happening that minute, and she was already thinking ahead. And he loved that she was including herself in the plans. In the back of his mind Zac had worried that Vanessa would rush to get back to her own family after being pushed through this one day. He wanted her there with him. He had known that from the minute his dad had called him this morning. He wanted his Nessa at his side as girlfriend and best friend too.

"I'm really not sure," he started. "Grandma has one brother, Joseph, who needs to get over here from Idaho. Grandpa knew he couldn't get here today, but he called him earlier and told him about the situation. That's mom's only uncle, on Grandma's side at least. Uncle Joe would be the only other person involved in her arrangements, I think." Zac stared down at Vanessa for a minute.

"You, you will stay up here with me, if we need to, won't you?" He suddenly started worrying again as he watched Vanessa's facial expressions.

She stood up and put her arms around his neck. "I'm here Zac. I'm not going anywhere without you, unless you tell me to." She felt him relax a little and squeeze her tighter.

She pulled back and sat back down in the chair. Zac knelt down beside her. "I'm just wondering if _we_ need to have dress clothes sent to us. You didn't think to bring a suit, and I certainly didn't have anything like that to bring up here on such short notice."

"Oh," Zac said quietly. Here she goes again…thinking of things that have just blown right by him. "I'm so glad you're here." He smiled at her.

"My grandma really likes that black Armani suit that I got last summer. That would probably be a good one to get. But how are you thinking we can get them?" Zac's questioning look softened as he realized that Vanessa already had a plan in her mind.

"Well, Ashley has a spare key to your apartment." Zac looked a little shocked.

"She does? When, how did she get that?" He noticed a little shy but sly smile form on Vanessa's lips. He knew he hadn't given their loving friend and supporting actress a key to _his_ apartment. He now had a feeling that Vanessa had shared one with her to _their _apartment. The two living quarters just happened to be one and the same place.

"Um, I gave her a spare key after our last visit up here." Vanessa said matter-of-factly.

"I see." Zac replied, trying not to smile.

"I just figured that _if _you were gone sometime and _if_ I decided to stay over anyway and _if _I needed help for some reason…she lives close by and could get there quickly." Vanessa had planned to tell Zac about giving Ashley a key, just not right away.

Zac just let it pass with another "Uh-huh…" and then went on. "So Ash has this key, how does that get our clothes to us. And how is she getting your clothes?"

"Well, I'm going to get mom's help too. She can get a dress for me from home and then meet Ashley at your place to make sure she gets the right suit. Then mom can overnight both of them to your mom and dad's house, or get a courier to bring them up here."

Zac stood up, leaned over and gave Vanessa a kiss on the forehead. He smiled at her as he said, "Make it happen."

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Vanessa hit the speed dial on her phone to check in with her mom. At the Hudgens' house, Greg recognized his daughter's number on the caller i.d. and answered immediately. "Baby, how is Zac's grandmother?"

Vanessa felt tears cover her eyes and her bottom lip started to quiver at the sound of her father's voice. The intensity of the day was catching up with her and she realized that she just wanted to be back home. "Daddy, she's not going to make it." Was all that she could mutter over the phone line before she started sniffling and the tears fell down her cheeks. Vanessa turned in the chair to face the wall hoping that Zac wouldn't see or hear her. She was trying to be strong for his family, especially for him.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." Greg continued. He heard her sniffling and knew her emotions must be in overdrive. "Vanessa, is there anything I can do? Is Zac ok? Is his family ok that you're there with him?" Greg knew he would drive three hours to get his daughter if she wasn't wanted there. But he also knew that she probably needed to be there with Zac and his family. He knew how much she loved this young man, and how much Zac had comforted her already in this relationship. Vanessa was simply returning the favor.

Vanessa swallowed and breathed in a deep breath. "Dad, I've just never dealt with something like this before. I was doing pretty good, till I heard your voice." She said softly.

"I'm sorry sweetie, do you want to talk to your mom?"

"No, well yes, I'll need to talk to her in a minute. But I don't think it would've mattered who answered the phone. Sorry, everything is just catching up with me." Vanessa fought to regain control. She glanced around to see Zac sitting with Dylan. They were looking at each other, not at her. Good. As far as they knew she was fine.

"V, where are you? Are you still at the hospital?"

"Yeah. But I don't think we'll be here much longer. Mrs. Aames had a massive heart attack this morning. They brought her in and hooked her up to all the machines, and pretty much just kept her alive until Zac could get here. Right now Grandpa Aames and Starla and David are in there with her…saying goodbye. Once they've finished they're taking her off all the machines. The doctors say after that it will be just a matter of time."

"Oh Sweetheart, I'm so sorry." Greg was genuinely concerned for the family. He had already lost his mother and father years ago and knew it was a difficult time. But he was also worried about Vanessa being the only non-family member up there. "V, is Zac with his mom and dad? Are you by yourself? I don't want to sound petty, but are you ok?"

It took Vanessa a minute but she understood what her dad was trying to ask. "I, I'm pretty surprised about that, Dad. Everyone from Zac's grandfather to his brother has treated me like I'm already a part of this family. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like I'm supposed to be here. I think I've helped Zac and his brother by just listening to them, or hugging them. And even Starla, dad she said she was glad I came up with Zac because she knows that he needs _me_ here with him. It's a little overwhelming. I think that's why I'm so emotional. I'm sad for the family, but I'm thrilled at how they're accepting me in this situation. Does that make any sense?"

"It makes a lot of sense Baby V. It shows that they have already accepted you into their family, no matter what the situation. Honestly, I hope we can help Zac feel that way in our family. Although I still like it that he's a little scared of me. Makes a father proud!" Greg tried to lighten the mood and it worked.

Vanessa smiled into the phone and she noticed Zac watching her again. He could see she had been crying. He walked back over to her and knelt down beside her again, trying to wipe the tears from her cheek as she continued to talk to her dad. She pushed his hand away but then grabbed it and held it in her lap. "Dad, can I talk to mom now? I need a couple of favors from her. What? Oh, I know you could do this too, but it's wardrobe help. Yeah, I thought mom was the best choice too. Thanks Daddy, I love you."

Zac knew she was waiting on her mom to come to the phone so he wiped at the tears again and offered her a tissue. "Are you ok? Is your dad upset that you're here?" Zac worried.

"No, no, nothing like that. Just, just hearing his voice after all that's gone on today…I just got emotional, that's all." Vanessa tried to smile at him.

Zac laid his head in Vanessa's lap, still holding and caressing her hand by his cheek. "I'm sorry to put you through all this. I know it's gotta be hard. This isn't even your family…"

"But it is!" Vanessa interrupted quickly. "It's your family. So that makes it mine too."

They both just looked at each other. Neither smiled nor frowned, they just stared into each others' eyes. In the next moment Gina was on the phone and Vanessa had control once again over her emotions and the situation. Zac just sat and listened as Vanessa described the dress and shoes that she would need. And she also described to her mom where Zac's suit was in the closet. After a three-way call with Ashley they had found a time that evening to meet so that Gina could have everything together and ready to send to them tomorrow morning.

Once again Zac looked down at the ring box in his pocket and traced the outline with his finger. _What's mine is yours._ He thought to himself. He wondered if maybe this was the right time. Time to bring a little happiness into their sad hearts. If it was, it would have to wait a little longer. His parents and grandfather had just come back into the room.

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	8. Trust Your Instincts 1

**Thanks for the reviews! This story was a very emotional one to write. I'm pleased at how it's turning out and appreciate your input! Now Enjoy!**

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Zac rushed from Vanessa to his mother. Dylan joined them as they both embraced the woman who was sobbing in front of them. In seconds they too were crying with her, realizing that their grandmother was gone. Alexander Aames looked solemn as he watched the three but he didn't make a move to join them. Instead he took a seat and leaned his head against the wall. His son-in-law sat beside him and took his hand.

Vanessa watched the scene from the corner of the room. Again she didn't feel lonely, but she could feel the loss and the pain in their hearts. Tears welled up in her eyes again as she watched Zac comforting his mother. Vanessa knew that part of his strength came from her being there. After a minute Vanessa stood and walked towards them.

Starla saw the young lady coming toward her and released her sons. She stepped between them to take Vanessa into a loving embrace. "If you weren't here," Starla cried, "this would be so much worse for all of us."

Vanessa was taken aback by Starla's words. _Did she really mean that much to Zac…and to Dylan? Was she more a part of this family than she realized?_ She unknowingly gripped onto Starla's sweater as though she were hugging her own mother and let her tears fall again. Zac watched as his mom pulled away from his girlfriend and dried her eyes as though Vanessa was one of her own children.

He watched as Vanessa returned to Starla's embrace. As the two women spoke softly to each other they drifted to the corner where Vanessa had been sitting.

Zac backed away from them and sat down beside his grandfather who had witnessed the interaction as well. Alexander patted Zac on the leg and saw the ring box in his pocket. He and Zac looked each other in the eyes as Alexander told him, "It's time."

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"It's time." What more of a sign could his grandmother give him than this. He didn't know how she had done it, but it was obvious to Zac that his Grandma Aames had put those words in his grandfather's mouth. But he wasn't ready for this, was he? Was he ready to propose to Vanessa after just a year of dating? It all seemed to be happening so quickly.

Zac looked around and realized they were still sitting in the family room at the hospital. He realized his grandmother was gone and that he, and his entire family, should be mourning. But instead he was worrying about proposing to his girlfriend. More than that, his grandfather was telling him to propose. Perhaps what Zac was worrying about was pleasing his grandparents, his grandmother in particular. Apparently she had heard his request to her through the beeping of all those machines. And apparently she approved of Vanessa. Zac thought he could already feel her watching him.

Alexander Aames leaned over to his grandson. "Zachary? I didn't mean right this minute. I more meant that you don't want to let her get away. And you have the tool to hang onto her right there in your pocket. Just remember," he whispered to his grandson, "an engagement doesn't mean that you've set the date. But it does mean that you've promised yourself to her. And if she accepts that engagement ring, then she's promised to you too."

Zac was amazed. In a time when his grandfather should be, well, grieving, he was giving Zac instructions on getting engaged. _Grandma must've had quite a hold over Grandpa for her to be directing his actions this soon after her death._ Zac thought. Either that or there had been other discussions about him and Vanessa behind their backs.

Meanwhile in the opposite corner Starla and Vanessa continued to cry with each other. Vanessa simply listened as Starla talked to her about the last few minutes with her mom. She described the moments as peaceful, when the machines were finally turned off. She and Alexander and David had held hands and said a prayer as they knew the time had come. Mr. Aames had spent the next few minutes along with David trying to console Starla. She simply wanted to come and find her sons.

Then Starla shared something with Vanessa that made her understand this moment a little better. "When David and I were dating, his grandmother had cancer. In the last few weeks of her life we went to visit her together. She was in a coma and I don't know if she even realized we were there. But David's mom noticed. On the day that his grandmother died David asked me to come to her house with him, where the family had gathered, so I went. I felt out of place, but his mom came to me and told me how much _she_ appreciated me being there for him. That made me feel like part of his family, before we were even engaged. And I know because we were able to share that before our marriage, and knowing that his mom appreciated me, it's made our marriage even stronger."

Vanessa just sat for a moment soaking in what Starla had said to her. "Thank you." Was all she could think to say. Then she leaned over and gave Starla another hug. Before they broke away Starla whispered, "I appreciate you being here for Zac…for all of us." The women looked at each other and smiled tearfully, knowing that Starla had just passed on her blessing, again, for Zac and Vanessa to be together.

The young couple stared at the floor for a few minutes in their opposite corners. David, Starla, Dylan and Alexander met in the middle and began to discuss what happened next. They knew a doctor was waiting for them to give the word and Amanda's body would be moved to the morgue. From there she would be cremated and then a wake would be held. Again it was all moving quickly. Zac and Vanessa listened intently as the conversation moved into the hallway and included the doctor. The wake could likely happen in three to four days depending on a funeral director's schedule.

The doctor instructed the family to go home. This was all something that could be dealt with the next day.

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The drive back to the Efron's house was quiet. Zac didn't mention the instructions that his grandfather had given to him and Vanessa didn't talk about the conversation with Zac's mom. But they were heading back to the house alone.

Zac's parents had decided to spend the night at his grandfather's home. Grandpa Aames wanted to go home where he was comfortable and Starla wanted to be with her father. David and Dylan were going to support both of them. But Zac had declined the offer from his grandfather.

Vanessa couldn't believe that Zac had fibbed to Alexander, telling him that they had stopped by the house and dropped off their bags before coming to the hospital. Starla and David knew better. They knew that Z & V had come straight to Saint Luke's.

Vanessa had seen Starla catch Zac's hand after that fib. She gave him a questioning look and Zac had given her a simple answer. "I just need some time with Vanessa." His mom had smiled at him but Zac had just shaken his head and said, "I just need to be near her." Starla had smiled faintly at that admission and nodded her head.

As they left the hospital they had all shared hugs and kisses and decided to meet at Alexander's house the next morning. Zac gave one honest request, "If we aren't there by ten, call and wake us up." Zac was notorious for sleeping in and the fact that it was already one in the morning wouldn't help. He knew Vanessa was exhausted too. He didn't want to push waking up in the morning, but he wanted to be back with his family to help however possible. Zac had taken Vanessa's hand after his grandfather kissed her cheek and led her to the car.

Once they buckled their seatbelts Vanessa had reached over and put her hand on Zac's leg. She felt something in his pocket, something like a box. She knew it hadn't been there yesterday when they got to the hospital. But she assumed it was just keys or something that Zac's mom had given to him.

When they got back to the house Vanessa remembered the last time they had spent the night at this house alone. It was after Starla and David's 25th wedding anniversary, and just before she and Zac had admitted their love for each other. She remembered being nervous that night and having a short conversation with Zac about trust. Zac had blown off the conversation, kissed her on the cheek, turned over and gone to sleep. She smiled remembering that simple night, snuggled closely to him in his old twin bed.

"I'm just gonna change clothes and run to the bathroom," Zac said when they got into the house. Vanessa watched him disappear into his room and then heard the bathroom door shut and the shower turn on. "Well that's odd," Vanessa thought. But then she figured Zac probably needed a warm shower to relax after such an emotional day.

She wandered upstairs into his room and noticed his clothes tossed on his bed. "Typical Zac," she thought. She grabbed his shirt and folded it neatly and put it on his dresser. When she reached for his jeans she thought about the item that was in his pocket. It wasn't there now. Oh well, he must've remembered to take it out. Then she noticed the ring box sitting on his dresser by the shirt she had just folded.

The box was old and worn, obviously not something new that had been bought recently. She picked it up and rubbed her finger over it gently before opening it up. Vanessa gasped when she saw what was inside. A beautiful, antique diamond ring. The stone was set perfectly in a worn, gold band. She lifted the ring out of the box and admired it. She noticed the engraving on the inside, "To Amanda, with love." She didn't notice the bedroom door open behind her, or Zac's footsteps as they whispered to her side.

"It's yours, you know." Zac said faintly.

Vanessa's heart started pounding in her chest. He startled her just being there. And the words he said put tears in her eyes again.

"Wh – what?" she stuttered and kept staring at the ring.

"Nessa, look at me, please?" Zac's voice was still a whisper.

Vanessa tore her eyes from the ring and looked into Zac's deep blue ones. "This isn't how I pictured asking you. But if you'll bear with me…it seems like someone or something else always gets in the way of _my_ plans." Vanessa smiled, remembering how he had planned to tell her that he loved her, but _she_ had spoiled that plan. Now what plan was being ruined?

"I'm listening." She said as they continued standing by the dresser.

"This whole day has been crazy. I have never felt so sad and empty in my life and yet with you here, it's been bearable. And I've even found myself smiling, because you're here with me." Vanessa looked back at the ring she was holding.

"Earlier today, Grandpa pulled me aside and handed me the box. It's my grandma's…"

"Engagement ring." Vanessa finished. She looked back into Zac's eyes.

"This morning, at some point before she lost consciousness," Zac continued, "Grandma told Grandpa to make sure I got this ring. She told him when the time was right I would know who to give it to." Zac was looking deep into Vanessa's brown eyes as her tears ran down her cheeks. "When we were in that room, and I was talking to her, I asked her to give me a sign. I even told her I was dense about this stuff, and I needed her help. Then after she died and you and mom were hugging, it was like you were already in our family. You even said it yourself, my family is your family, and it's true, Vanessa!" Zac started sniffling as well. "While you and mom were hugging, Grandpa patted my leg and looked at my pocket where I had the ring box, and he just looked at me and said, 'It's time.'"

Vanessa's head started spinning as Zac was talking. She didn't know what to make of all this. Zac took the ring from her hand and sat her down on the bed. It was the 'I love you' conversation all over again, only this time he didn't have to pull the car into the emergency lane. He just had to keep talking.

"Nessa, I'm only nineteen. You're only eighteen. But we know we love each other. And I hope you know now, after today, how much my family adores you, trusts you and already depends on you. I'm not asking you to marry me next week, or even next year for that matter." Zac slid off the bed and down in front of Vanessa, kneeling on one knee and holding Amanda's engagement ring between his thumb and index finger for Vanessa to see. "But I am asking you to marry me sometime in the near future, please?" Zac asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes. Vanessa could see new tears forming in those deep blue eyes and she recognized them as tears of fear. He was afraid she was going to turn him down.

She couldn't take her eyes off of him. She couldn't speak. Zac had summed up this whole day in just the past few minutes but she couldn't find the words to answer him. So she nodded. She put her arms around his neck, smiled through the tears running down her cheeks and nodded.

Zac's tears started flowing again too. He took his grandmother's beautiful engagement ring and slid it onto Vanessa's hand. "This ring means that I'm promised to you, and you only." Zac said. "And by accepting it, it means that you're promised to me too." Zac gently echoed the words that his grandfather had told him earlier. "It doesn't mean that we've set a date, it simply means that I'm yours and you're mine. Can we agree to those terms?" he asked, still searching Vanessa's face, learning again every beautiful expression.

"Yes." She finally whispered.

Zac pulled her toward him, kissing her with every ounce of love he could find. "I – love – you," and he emphasized each word with a kiss to her soft lips.

As they sat on the bed just basking in each others' presence their exhaustion finally took over. "You need to change," Zac said softly as he remembered why they were there. He also remembered why he had wanted to bring Vanessa back to their house, alone. He didn't mean to propose to her that night. He had simply needed to be as close to her as possible. And, he realized, he still needed that.

When Vanessa returned to the bedroom she was wearing the t-shirt that Zac had packed for her. "Nessa?" Zac started somewhat childishly.

"Yes?" Vanessa started to climb into the bed next to him.

"I'm jumping around all over the place, I know. And I know we're both emotionally drained. But, but I brought you back here with me…instead of going to grandpa's house…because I just want to feel you near me."

Vanessa looked at him with sleepy eyes. "I'm right here Zac, I'm not going anywhere. And I promise, I'm yours." She said as she held up her hand, showing him the engagement ring again.

"I know. But I need to feel, you know, _close to you_." He started to turn his face away from her as he continued. "Can we, maybe, do what we did in Hawaii? Just sleep like we did those couple of nights, please? I need you as close to me as you can get."

Through the tiredness Vanessa could see the sadness in his eyes. The child inside Zac was missing his grandmother; but the man inside him wanted his fiancée.

Vanessa just nodded as she took off the t-shirt and panties that she had on, and watched as Zac undressed in front of her. She lay down beside him with her naked back and hips pressed up against Zac's bare chest and waist. They both fell asleep as Zac wrapped his arms around her chest just below her breasts, Vanessa feeling the warmth of his touch and his breath on her neck as he whispered, "I love you, Nessa."

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	9. Trust You Instincts 2

Vanessa awoke first the next morning to the sun shining in Zac's bedroom window. He still had his arms wrapped around her, but somehow she had ended up on top of his nude body, her bare chest pressed to his, instead of spooning him as they had fallen asleep earlier that morning.

It took the eighteen year old just a moment to realize that something else was different about her fiancé at that point. Along the juncture of her hip and thigh she could feel the pressure of his length extended against her. She started to scramble off of him quickly wondering what he had done to her while they slept. But then she remembered her biology lessons. Guys tend to have erections when they are asleep, and not even know they're happening. And with the way they had gone to sleep in the wee hours of the morning she could understand how that would happen on this particular day.

So she worked gently but diligently to dislodge herself from his grasp. As she rolled to the side of the bed, she caught a glimpse of Zac's naked body under the covers. It was all she could do not to stare at him, all of him. She blushed as she looked at him fully. Then she noticed the ring on her finger again and smiled. He was promised to _her_, only her.

Vanessa gathered her nightshirt, Zac's t-shirt, that she had discarded along with her underwear before crawling into bed next to him last night at his request. She put them back on and grabbed Zac's sweatpants to try and cover herself as she went to the bathroom. She laughed as she realized that the sweatpants swallowed her petite body. Then she heard another bit of laughter.

She turned and looked at Zac, seeing that he was still asleep. She peeked out the window at the driveway. Starla's car was parked there. Vanessa looked at the clock. It was only 8:30. Zac's parents had come home for some reason instead of staying at his grandfather's house. Her jovial thoughts quickly dissipated as she started wondering when they had gotten home, and if they had seen her with Zac in bed.

She quickly returned to the bed ignoring Zac's lack of clothing and his current bodily situation. She gently started shaking his shoulder trying to get him to wake up. "Zac, Zac, wake up baby, your mom and dad are home." She was trying to be gentle, whispering to him. Zac just grunted at her and rolled onto his side with his back toward her. Vanessa decided on a new tactic to get his attention. "Zachary David, you're naked, I woke up on top of you and I want to know what you did to me last night!" It was still a whisper but the low growl achieved Vanessa's goal.

"Wh-What??" Zac sat straight up in the bed glancing under the covers and then his eyes raced toward Vanessa. "Oh my, oh sh--, Nessa, I, I don't know what to say, I'm sorry!! Are you okay?" He certainly wasn't whispering and Vanessa quickly covered his mouth with her hand, the engagement ring still intact.

She smirked at him just a little, his puppy-dog eyes trying to convey to her how ashamed he was feeling. "Are you trying to tell me that you _did_ do something to me last night? I was under the impression that we simply fell asleep." Vanessa whispered to him.

Zac's eyes softened a bit until he realized his current state of arousal. He removed Vanessa's hand from his mouth and attempted to get out of bed, pulling the covers around his waist. Vanessa firmly held him down on the bed, only letting him sit up with the comforter over him. Zac still didn't fully understand what was going on. Why wasn't she yelling at him, and why wouldn't she let him leave the room. He searched her face for an answer as Vanessa simply put her index finger over her mouth, signaling for him to be quiet.

"Ness," he whispered, "I _need_ to go to the bathroom."

"You're outta luck at the moment stud-muffin. Your parents are home."

"What? We're supposed to be meeting them at Grandpa's house." Zac's voice started to slow down as he remembered the events of the previous day.

"Well, I promise you, they're home now. Your mom's car is in the driveway and I'm pretty sure I heard them talking in their bedroom." Vanessa placed a reassuring hand on Zac's cheek before she continued. "We need to get dressed and go downstairs. Can you do anything about…_that?" _she glanced at the blanket wrapped around his waist.

"It's already done," Zac stated bluntly. "One mention of my parents being home did more than any of the cold showers I had to take in Hawaii." He shot Vanessa an impish grin.

Vanessa remembered him being out of bed before her the mornings after they had slept skin-to-skin during their vacation. She hadn't thought much about that until now, figuring Zac was just eager to get back to the beach or go sightseeing on the beautiful islands. Now though she realized what must've woken him up those mornings, an aching need that he didn't want to bother her with, not at that point in their relationship. It was enough that she had agreed to let him lay with her naked body sculpted against his. She had agreed to share the bed and go to sleep like that, with his arms wrapped around her. There was no way he wanted her to know just how aroused he had been throughout those nights, and especially the mornings he had woken up with her beside him.

Zac now realized that Vanessa had put the pieces of his vacation puzzle together. They were both slightly embarrassed by the realizations but neither of them said a word to discourage the other.

Zac smiled sweetly at his fiancée as he looked again at the ring on her finger and then at his clothes that she was wearing. "Do you think maybe I could have my clothes…at least my pants…to put on? If I remember correctly, we _did_ pack clothes that will fit you."

Vanessa blushed and smiled at him as she looked at his baggy clothes hanging from her small figure. "Let me just lock the door first." She shuffled to the door and turned the button. Zac proceeded to put his boxers on and grabbed his sweats from Vanessa as she kicked them off her legs. "My shirt," she said as Zac reached his hand out to her. "I'll throw on the jeans I had yesterday until I get a shower, but the shirt I'm keeping on." Vanessa said as she smacked his hand gently. The two continued dressing quietly as they listened for other voices in the house.

Not a moment later there was a quiet knock on the door. "Zac, Vanessa, are you awake yet?" It was Zac's dad. "Yeah Dad, we're both up." Zac said. We'll be down in just a couple of minutes, ok?"

David looked at his wife and smiled. She still had a bit of a shell-shocked look on her face from the scene she had witnessed just minutes before.

------------------------

The funeral director had called Alexander Aames as soon as he got to the morgue that morning. Shortly before eight they had set up a time to meet that afternoon to make final arrangements for Amanda's services. Starla had stood by her father's side during the call but once it was finished she wanted to go home to check on her oldest son. David assured her that Zac was fine and in good hands. "I know that," Starla had sighed. "I just want to make sure they are both ok." She had looked at her husband with pleading eyes and he gave in to her request_. _

"Dad, we're going home to shower and change and get Zac and Vanessa." David had told Alexander before they left the house. Dylan was staying with his grandfather_._ _Probably a good thing he's not here with us_. David thought as he took his wife by the hand and led her downstairs to the kitchen.

Not an hour before, David and Starla had pulled into the driveway of their home. It didn't surprise them that the lights were still off and the house was silent. The prior day had been long for all of them, and it wasn't even 8:30 yet. David had stopped to glance at the morning paper as Starla headed directly up the stairs towards Zac's room. She had quietly turned the doorknob fully expecting to see her son and his girlfriend asleep in his small bed.

The site that greeted her eyes was more than she expected. Her son's girlfriend on top of him, her bare back exposed to the sunlight and his arms wrapped tightly around her. Starla could see Vanessa's head resting comfortably on Zac's naked chest. But she could also tell something else. It wasn't just their upper bodies that were naked. She saw the young couple's clothes lying on the floor and Zac's left leg was conspicuously lying uncovered and partially wrapped around Vanessa's lower body.

The mother wasn't disappointed in the teenagers but she was shocked at what she assumed had transpired between the two in those early morning hours when they were alone.

As she quietly worked to close the door without waking the sleeping teens, she also noticed something else. A particular sparkle was coming from Vanessa's left hand that was lying on Zac's right shoulder. The sunlight caused the diamond on her hand to glisten brightly. Starla realized in the middle of their heartache, there was also a reason to celebrate.

David had found his wife sneakily closing the door, quietly holding the knob so that the latch wouldn't click loudly. He put a hand on her shoulder. "They're still asleep?" David whispered. Starla had looked at him with eyes beaming, her hand over her mouth. She took his hand and led him down the hall to their own bedroom and closed the door. Only then did she uncover her mouth and let out a small giggle.

"Something a mother never wants to see." She started.

David's eyes grew wide as he imagined what Starla had just walked in on. "They were, ehm, uh…?" He couldn't bring himself to continue. Then he started again, "I forgot to tell Zac 'no frolicking' this time. I thought it would be a moot point, given the circumstances." His eyes dropped to the floor.

Starla lifted his chin. "I didn't catch them in the act. I'm just assuming what happened earlier. I'm also assuming _that_ because of something else I saw." Starla sat down on their bed. She watched as David met her eyes again. "Vanessa's wearing my mom's engagement ring."

David seemed a bit stunned at this revelation. He hadn't been part of the conversations yesterday at the hospital when Alexander had given his wife's engagement ring to their oldest son. But Starla and her father had told both David and Dylan about it when they had gone home. David was a bit subdued at the time, a little sad that he didn't share this moment with his wife and son. Dylan was ecstatic though, talking about the possibilities of a wedding in his big brother's future. Right now though, David was more stunned that a proposal had come so quickly. He was anxious to hear how it came about, and so was his wife.

Both Starla and David had taken a quick shower and changed clothes before venturing back into the hallway near their son's bedroom. This time they heard voices inside the room, and David knocked to make Zac and Vanessa aware of their presence.

"Okay son, we'll see you two downstairs in a few minutes."

Neither father nor son made an attempt to open the door. Both chose to speak through the wooden structure to reach their points. _It must be some male understanding. _Starla thought to herself as she watched her husband. David then took her by the hand and led her downstairs to make breakfast.

------------------

Zac reached for Vanessa as she finished tying her hair up into a messy ponytail. She leaned back against him, looking at themselves in Zac's mirror. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and let them hang down over her chest for a moment as they just stared at each others' reflections. Vanessa lifted her hands from her sides and grasped the two strong arms that were wrapped around her. Zac placed a kiss on the top of her head as he rubbed one thumb across the diamond ring that now adorned Vanessa's left ring finger.

Vanessa turned in his arms and looked up into his sparkling blue eyes. She noticed a hint of darkness in them, but didn't say a word. Zac took her left hand and rubbed her ring finger again. "Are you sure about _this_?" He asked, grasping the fragile diamond.

"I am," she replied. "Are you?"

"Yes, I am," he answered as he pulled her closer. "Yesterday, and last night, just don't seem real, Ness. This may sound awful of me, but I really didn't mean to propose to you last night, not like that."

Vanessa slipped from his grasp and sat down on the bed. "Then are you really sure this is what you want?" The question was a little more pointed this time.

"I _am_ sure. But I don't want to rush you. And I don't want you to think that I asked you in the heat of the moment, at a time when I couldn't control my emotions, or my words, or any part of me, obviously." Zac sat down on the bed next to her, wanting to make certain that she knew how _sure_ he really was.

"Zac, you and I were both vulnerable last night. You could have asked me to make love to you, and I probably would have agreed. But you didn't. Even with _our_ emotions in overdrive, you showed some amazing control. And that just makes me love you more, and it proves to me how much you care for me…even when I'm supposed to be taking care of you." Vanessa turned her head away from him with that last confession.

Zac turned her head back toward him. "These next few days are going to be rough on all of us, I know. The feelings are just going to keep pounding away at us. So I'm not going to promise that I _won't _ask you to make love to me. I won't promise that I _won't_ ask you to sleep naked with me again, right here in this bed, even if we _know_ that mom and dad are just down the hall. All I know for sure is that I do love you, and I need you to be with me these next few days, and just keep showing me that you're already a part of my family."

Neither of them wanted to leave the comfort zone of Zac's room. They knew there were funeral plans to be made and that Starla and Grandpa and Dylan would need comforting. Zac knew that their engagement had given him added strength to become one of the comforters in the situation. He knew now, with Vanessa by his side that he could be strong for his mom, grandfather and brother. And he knew that strength would help his father see him as an adult, even more than he already did.

Vanessa twisted the ring on her finger. "Zac, should we let everyone know that we're engaged? I don't think I feel right _announcing_ our amazing news, not when everyone is in shock and grieving for your Grandma. I could take the ring off and leave it here, in the box. We could wait until things have settled down a little."

"No!" Zac almost shouted. "No, don't take it off, please. I think it's okay if people notice it and ask about it. We don't need to announce it, per say, but I know at least a few people will definitely notice it and ask us." He paused for a moment, reliving the moment that he invited her to take the ring. "We need something happy right now. And with more family around us, I think this would actually be a great time for them to find out. Besides, Grandma made our engagement possible. What better way to thank her."

Vanessa cupped Zac's face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. "You're right. And I don't _want_ to take it off Zac. I just wanted you to know that I'm willing to, if you think I should."

Zac smiled at her. "Now that it's on your finger, it better stay there for fifty years, just like it did on Grandma."

--------------------------


	10. Trust the Unexpected

Zac took Vanessa's hand and led her to the bedroom door. With a deep breath they both opened the door and headed downstairs to face Starla and David. Vanessa still suspected that their sleeping arrangement had been discovered and she could feel the heat moving up her neck and face as they descended the stairs to the kitchen. Zac hadn't even thought of that possibility. His mind was still on their engagement, and the pending funeral arrangements that had to be made.

As they quietly made their way to the kitchen table they could see Starla at the stove, lost in her own world of thoughts. David was at the table, still perusing the morning paper. He was the first to notice them making their way into the room.

"Your mom's making scrambled eggs. I hope you're hungry." David glanced up at them over the paper.

"Can I offer to help her?" Vanessa's face was still flushed, worrying that they were both in for a parental lecture. But she also knew that her future in-laws had other concerns on their minds at the moment as well.

David tried not to smile at both of them. He didn't know if Starla's assumptions were correct or not. But he did see the ring on Vanessa's hand. "You're certainly welcome to try but you may be in for a 'Star-lecture'." David then looked at his son who stopped in his tracks at that last word.

Vanessa looked at Zac and quietly asked, "Do I dare ask what that is?" Her eyes suddenly had a look of fear in them.

Zac hadn't had a 'Star-lecture' since he had been caught with a Playboy magazine in his room at age fourteen. His mother had been stern with him about her displeasure at the situation. She had given him one chance for a good explanation; had given him time to think about that explanation; and came back with David once he had gotten home from work to hear the explanation. In those three hours between being caught and his father's homecoming, young Zac had realized that there wasn't a good explanation for it. And that's what he had told his parents when they came back to his room. His father had promptly taken the magazine and disposed of it. The infraction hadn't been mentioned again.

"I'm guessing your worry has some foundation to it." Zac whispered into Vanessa's ear. Her eyes held steady as she felt the redness heat her cheeks and forehead again. She refused to look at David or Zac.

Vanessa chose to take a seat beside Zac at the table, instead of helping Starla in the kitchen. She figured if they were in for a lecture, they should get it together, not separately. After all, they were engaged now. And, she wanted to see how Zac reacted to the parental pressures. Unlike the Hudgens' household, it didn't seem that the Efron's ran into this situation too often.

Starla soon brought a steaming dish of scrambled eggs and toast to the table. She only looked at her husband as she started speaking. "David, would you mind getting the plates and silverware for us? Vanessa, would you like orange juice or coffee, or maybe tea to drink sweetheart? Zac, what would you like…besides your fiancée?"

They both froze. Neither Zac nor Vanessa could look at each other but they both struggled to take a breath. It was somewhat obvious what Starla was alluding to. Zac grasped Vanessa's hand on top of the table.

David let out a muffled cough, trying to cover the laugh that was buried inside of him. He knew his wife too well to know that she wouldn't and couldn't give the kids one of her 'Star-lectures'. She was too thrilled at their engagement and knew that she had already successfully embarrassed them far enough.

"Nothing to say? Then I assume there isn't a good explanation for what I witnessed in your bedroom when we came home to check on you a little while ago." Starla was trying hard not to smile at them. But she noticed that neither her son nor his fiancée would look at her.

Finally Zac looked up. "What exactly did you 'witness' mom? Because unless we were having sex in our sleep, I think there's been a misunderstanding." Vanessa gasped and smacked Zac on the arm.

Starla finally smiled, allowing David to let out his deep-seeded laughter. Vanessa could feel her face still burning from embarrassment as Zac wrapped her in his arms. "I'm sorry Baby, I'm sorry." He placed a warm hand on her cheek and she realized that Zac too had been blushing.

Starla got up from her chair and came around to embrace both of them. "I'm sorry too Vanessa." She kissed Vanessa's cheek. "_You_ didn't deserve that. I was hoping my son would come downstairs alone this time so that I could interrogate him. I apologize for putting you in the middle of an Efron moment."

Vanessa cleared her throat. "Well, I guess maybe I should get used to that. And I'll consider this my 'welcome to the family' then, huh?" she said shyly. She knew their family was open and topics flowed freely here. So she decided to try her hand at the openness.

"By the way Zac, I'm still waiting for an answer from _you_ on that last comment." Vanessa playfully punched him on the arm again.

"What?! Ouch!" Zac rubbed his arm and raised his eyebrows at her.

"Well if your mom saw what I think she saw…_I_ don't know how we ended up like that, so it must've been your fault." She winked at Zac and gave him a quick but firm kiss on the lips.

Now it was Starla's turn to blush a little, although she was enjoying the playful banter between the two. After all the tears and seriousness at the hospital yesterday, it was a relief to see them in this light again.

"Okay you two," Starla smiled, "you can hash out those details later. It's not something your father and I need to mediate! However, I do need details on one thing." Her voice lowered to a near-tearful level. "The ring looks beautiful on you Vanessa. How did my son propose?"

-----------------------------

Vanessa put her head on Zac's shoulder as he wrapped both arms around her. She grasped his arm again, revealing the engagement ring on her finger to Starla and David. As Starla started serving breakfast to them Zac and Vanessa recounted the simple but romantic proposal that had come as a surprise to both of them in the early hours of the morning.

Starla was entranced by her son's romantic abilities. She was mesmerized by the glow on Vanessa's face as she looked again at the ring, Amanda's ring. "Grandpa's going to be thrilled you know." Starla took Zac's hand in hers.

"Well, he's the one who told me it was time to propose. And he gave me the words to say. Geez, without Grandma's ring and Grandpa's words…" Zac grinned a little and then looked at Vanessa, "who knows how long it would've taken me to ask you." Their smiles lingered for a moment as they just stared at one another. Zac broke the gaze as the reality of this day started coming back to him.

"Mom, did you say that there's an appointment with the funeral director? When is that?" Zac turned back to see Starla gazing at him and Vanessa.

"It's this afternoon sweetheart." Starla answered. "Give me a minute to just bask in your happiness again, would you?" Tears started forming in Starla's eyes as she soaked in the looks of contentment on her children's faces. Yes, Vanessa was already one of her children. She couldn't help but think, '_If Zac hadn't asked her to marry him we may have made the arrangements for them!'_ She blinked back her tears and smiled at them one more time. "Grandma couldn't have planned a better surprise. She was a hopeless romantic!"

"And that's one of her wonderful traits that we need to convey to everyone." David interrupted. It was now almost ten o'clock and he had just answered a knock at the door. "Vanessa there's a package for you here. Looks like it's from your mom." David looked a bit curious, but then he turned to Starla. "Greg and Gina also sent this tray of pastries and fruit. There's a sympathy card in here for you and your dad."

"How thoughtful of them." Starla sent a gracious look Vanessa's way." Vanessa, please tell them how much we appreciate this. We'll take the tray to dad's house. I know there will be people in and out of there over the next few days. This will really be helpful to have. What's in the package?"

"Oh, these are our dress clothes, for the funeral service. I called mom from the hospital yesterday and asked her to send them to us." Vanessa opened the box to find two suitbags containing her dress and shoes and Zac's suit. "Zac, take your suit upstairs and check it out. Make sure mom and Ashley found the right one. I just want to make sure." There were also two cards in the box, one to Zac and one to Dylan. Vanessa knew her mom wanted to let them all know that she was thinking of their family. She realized that Gina and Greg didn't know about her engagement. She didn't want to tell them over the phone, but she knew that she and Zac wouldn't be home for several more days. _It'll just have to wait, and then I'll have to make it up to them somehow. _She thought.

"I'm just going to take my clothes and hang them up too and make sure Zac has everything he needs." She glanced back at Starla and David who were still sitting at the kitchen table finishing their juice and coffee.

"If you need anything we can run to the store this afternoon or tomorrow." Starla offered. Vanessa nodded to her and headed up the stairs.

---------------------------

In Zac's room he was sitting on his bed reading the card that Gina and Greg had sent to him. "It's really nice of them to be thinking of us and offering their prayers. They must know this is really hard on our family." Zac sighed. "And look," he smiled softly, "Gina wrote 'we love you' before their names."

Vanessa sat down by him and hugged his shoulders. "They do love you Zac. My family just isn't as good at showing our feelings as yours is. Dad would shoot me for saying this, but he is starting to think of you as part of our family too. He told me that on the phone yesterday, but I wasn't supposed to tell you."

"So am I supposed to call him 'Dad' when we get back home, or still be scared of him?" Zac leaned on Vanessa.

"Maybe a little of both would be good. And certainly go light on the sex references when you're around him. That might not go over as well with him as it did with your parents!" Vanessa smiled at him and got up to open her bag.

Zac just watched as she pulled out a simple black knee-length dress and a pair of black heels. A folded piece of paper fell from the bag. He bent to pick it up glancing at the handwriting as the paper unfolded in his hand. He caught a glimpse of the words 'come home' written on the paper as he handed it to Vanessa. "Hey, I think this is meant for you." He said.

Vanessa opened the note and smiled. _Baby V, we know this is hard for you right now, but be strong for Zac and his family. We know they appreciate you being there and your dad and I both know that you need to be with Zac right now. Don't get too far away from him, let him know you're by his side through this sad time. Call us anytime you need to. Do you want us to come up for the service? We can do that if you want us to. If not then we'll see you when you come home. –Love, Mom & Dad._

Zac just watched his fiancée as she read the note from her mom. Did Gina want Vanessa to come home? Surely she wouldn't ask V to do that, not when she knows that Zac needs her beside him.

"Hey, um, do they want you to come home?" Zac started fiddling with the dress shoes he had just pulled out of the suitbag.

"No, just the opposite really." Vanessa answered him and handed him the note. "Here, read for yourself. Mom and Dad know where I need to be right now. And I'm here." Vanessa just looked over Zac's shoulder as he read the note and let out a sigh of relief. "You don't think she would've actually sent our clothes if she was going to try and make me come home, do you?" Vanessa brushed some hair out of Zac's eyes as she spoke to him. "Even Dad knows that I need to be here right now. I told you Zac, they _do_ love you and accept you and they know that I need to be here with _you_ and your family right now."

"Yeah, I get it." Zac smiled a little as he wrapped his arms around Vanessa's waist and leaned his head against her stomach. She placed one arm around his neck and then ran her fingers through his hair. She felt Zac take a deep breath as she held him there for a minute. "You okay?" She asked quietly. "Yeah," he pulled away from her grasp. "We gotta get ready to go to Grandpa's. I'm gonna go shower unless you want to get in first." Zac let go of her waist and stood up from the bed. "Nah, you go ahead," Vanessa answered. "Just leave me some hot water, please." Zac smiled and kissed her cheek before heading across the hall into the bathroom.

------------------

Vanessa stayed behind to get her own clothes together and to make up the bed and tidy the room a bit. Starla popped her head in the door as V was pulling the covers over the pillows. "Hey Vanessa," Starla smiled. "Do you and Zac want to ride to Grandpa's house with me and David, or come over on your own? We don't mind waiting on you both, but didn't know if you guys wanted a little more time alone together."

Vanessa bit on her lip. She knew they couldn't put off going to Zac's grandfather's house, and getting back into the planning for Amanda's service. Zac needed to be involved with that, and so did she. She straightened the covers a little more and then looked up at Starla. "What if we follow you guys over there? That way if we need to go somewhere we don't have to take your car. Would that be okay?"

"Sure sweetie, that's fine," Starla said. Then she asked again. "Are you sure you and Zac don't need a little more time?" She walked in and reached for Vanessa's left hand, to look at the ring on her finger.

Vanessa blushed. "Oh, oh, no, we're fine, really!" She answered with a little edge in her voice. "Starla…" she looked at her fiance's mom and felt her face get even hotter. "_Nothing_ happened between me and Zac last night." Then she felt Starla lift up the ring on her finger. "You can't say 'nothing' my dear." Starla smiled gently.

Vanessa was lost for words. How was she supposed to convey to her future mother-in-law that nothing happened _in bed_ between her and Zac, when Starla had caught them sleeping naked on one another? "Um, well…" _what was the word David always used? _"Can I just say there was no 'frolicking' and leave it at that?"

Starla had to laugh. She saw the embarrassment on Vanessa's face and didn't want to push. This wasn't the time for that. "I'll accept that." She smiled. "David and I will just wait for you two downstairs then and you can follow us over to Grandpa's."

"Sounds like a plan," Vanessa smiled. Zac walked back into the room dressed, and running a towel through his wet hair.

"Hey, it's all yours." He walked toward the bed and reached down to get some socks out of the suitcase on the floor. "Everything okay?" He looked curiously at his mom and fiancée.

"Yep, all good." Vanessa smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'll just be a few minutes." She headed across the hall to get dressed.

Zac looked up again at his mom as he sat on the bed getting his socks on. "What's up mom?" He could tell she wanted to ask something.

"Not the best time for this conversation, I know. But Zac, _protect_ her. Do you understand what I mean?" Starla's look turned from curious to serious to motherly as her son stood up in front of her.

Zac caught her meaning. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into his mother's eyes. "Believe me mom, that's all I want to do. I'm going to be blunt here but maybe it'll get us on the same page. There was _NO_ sex in this room last night. And there never has been. Vanessa and I are _NOT_ taking that step right now, our emotions are both so raw, I won't let that happen. _When_ we get to that point I will protect her as much as I possibly can. However, I _will_ guarantee that that door will be locked the next few nights that we are here though. Because she's staying with me, here, and I'd rather not have you or Dad, or Dylan walking in on us again." His face was slightly red as he talked so directly to his mom.

"Now," Zac continued feeling stronger, "we have other matters to deal with and worry about that are WAY more important than this today, right?"

"You are right," his mom answered but continued looking into her son's beautiful blue eyes. "I love you Zachary, and Vanessa too. Don't ever forget that!"

"I promise." Zac said with a small smile. "Love you too mom. We'll be down in a few minutes."

Vanessa quickly turned and went into the bathroom before Starla could leave the bedroom. She had forgotten her hairdryer in the bedroom. Before she could get back in, she heard the mother/son conversation that had begun. V had listened, smiled and then felt more love and contentment for both Zac and his mom.

------------------------


	11. Trust Your Feelings

The next few days were a blur for the entire Efron and Aames family. Starla's uncle had arrived and they all shared more tears before heading to the funeral home to make plans.

They spent one evening going through photo albums looking for pictures of Amanda to create two collages that would sit in the room where they held her wake. The memories held in those photos brought laughter, tears and discussions of the past. Zac and Vanessa sat with Dylan on the living room floor much of the time as their parents, grandfather and great uncle passed pictures from one to the other. They were enjoying listening to the stories about their grandmother and the life that she had filled devoted to her family.

Several times, Starla noticed that Vanessa would grab the engagement ring around her finger and twist it. Not really nervously, but almost intently, as though she was feeling a little comfort from Amanda's ring, and maybe channeling a little bit of Zac's grandma through that beautiful, simple, old, worn, diamond ring.

Alexander watched as the kids went round and round over some of the pictures that included them with their grandmother. They didn't argue, but Dylan and Zac had different ideas about the photos they wanted to use. In the end they had set the pictures in front of Vanessa and let her pick. This time Alexander noticed Vanessa as she grasped the ring and then wrinkled her eyebrows as she concentrated on the pictures.

They had told Alexander about their engagement almost as soon as they had walked into his house that morning. They had to…he had spotted the familiar ring on Vanessa's finger as soon as he opened the door for them to come in. He had simply nodded to Zac and then pulled Vanessa into a hug. Then he put a hand on her cheek and one on Zac's shoulders. "Congratulations!" he said to both of them. Then he looked straight at Vanessa. "And thank you!" he smiled.

That had been the end of the engagement conversation for the time being. They all knew they had to focus on other things that Amanda had wanted.

On the day of the wake the family traveled to the funeral home in a series of three cars. They had chosen a beautiful box for Amanda's ashes to be stored in. Flowers had been sent from friends and from several family members from David's side of the family.

They entered the room to soft music playing, the photo collages on easels at the back of the room for visitors to view and the beautiful box at the front. The flowers were placed strategically around the room and filled it with a beautiful scent.

Vanessa noticed how handsome Zac looked in his black Armani suit. _His grandmother knew what made him look good._ She thought to herself. She also noted that he hadn't removed his sunglasses even though they were inside. She knew he was holding back tears again, trying to be strong for his family.

Alexander took a seat on the front bench, near Amanda's box. Starla sat beside him and pulled some tissues from her purse. Alexander looked at his only daughter and smiled before she put her head down on his shoulder. David came and sat down beside Starla putting his arm around her shoulders and touching Alexander's. Zac, Vanessa, Dylan and Amanda's brother Joseph sat in the next row behind the others. They sat silently, just staring at the box that held Amanda's ashes.

Friends began to enter the room, stopping to look at the photos of Amanda interacting with her family. A faded wedding photo caught many of their eyes, along with the pictures of Amanda, Alexander and Starla together as a young family. Their eyes then drifted over to the pictures of Amanda with her grandsons, her new pride and joy for the past nineteen years of her life. They shared tears at the memories and smiles as they chuckled at young Dylan and Zac in chef's hats making cookies with their grandma.

Starla and Alexander took turns chatting with their guests, thanking them for coming and helping them get seated. Once in a while they would motion for Zac and Dylan to come greet someone, or bring someone over for them to meet. Each time Zac would grasp Vanessa's hand and bring her with him. She was always introduced as Zac's fiancée, especially when Starla or Alexander was making the introductions. Vanessa would just smile politely and shake hands. She made a point to always have her left hand available, whenever someone wanted to see her engagement ring. Zac took great pride in telling Amanda's friends that this ring had been hers for the past 54 years.

When the service began the minister did a wonderful job portraying Amanda's life to those who had gathered. Starla gave a loving testament to her mother's faithfulness and love for all of her family members. She also mentioned her mother's love for her grandsons, and how special the boys were to her. To Zac and Vanessa's surprise, a song had played after Starla's eulogy. They recognized it right away as one of the songs they had performed in High School Musical 2 called 'You are the Music In Me." Both of them stayed quiet as the song played but Vanessa could feel Zac beginning to shake as the tears started flowing down his face. She took his hands in hers and held them as tightly as she could, with tears streaming from her own eyes. The song suddenly took on new meaning to both of them.

Dylan leaned over to Vanessa who was sitting between him and Zac. "Playing the song was Grandpa's idea," Dyl confessed in a whisper. "He wanted to let you know that Grandma loves you too, and she loved this song when she saw you and Zac singing it together in the movie."

Vanessa let go of Zac's hands for just a moment as she gave Dylan a loving squeeze on his knee. She also took the opportunity to twist the ring again that was on her finger. Somehow she was feeling a connection to Amanda Aames. One that she felt would last for years to come. As she took Zac's hands again he took the chance to touch that same ring on her hand. Through his tears he looked at her and smiled. _My music, my love, my fiancée…_ he thought.

The service finished with the minister inviting everyone to come by Alexander's home for a final toast to Amanda. The ornate box had been gently loaded into one of the family cars and then moved to the home that Amanda and Alexander had shared for so many years. David and Zac carefully took the box from the car and then placed it on the mantle in the living room where Starla had created a space the day before.

They waited just a little while as people arrived at the house then Alexander took control, raising his glass and gathering their attention. "To my wife, my love, my everything," he said with a smile. "Amanda darling, may you rest in peace, but please watch over us and care for us in your new home. We love you."

"To Amanda" everyone joined. And with that, Zac realized, they had said a final farewell to his grandmother.

He sighed deeply and took Vanessa's hand and led her into the den which was considered his grandfather's 'thinking' room. The guests were leaving and Zac felt no compulsion to help see them to the door. Instead he sat down in his grandfather's well-worn recliner and pulled Vanessa into his lap. "What happens now?" Vanessa asked as Zac held her hands in his. "We get back to normal, I guess." He shrugged his shoulders and wrapped his arms around V. "We keep in touch with Grandpa and make sure he's doing ok. Mom will be doing a lot of that, I'm sure. But it may also mean a couple of extra trips up here if we can find the time." He continued.

"When we find the time." Vanessa stated.

"When we find the time," Zac repeated. "It'll be quite an adjustment for him, but he's strong. I know he will be fine. It's just gonna take time." He stopped briefly. "Hey, do you mind staying one more day up here?"

"Not a problem for me," Vanessa answered. She hadn't made any plans to go home. She wasn't sure how long Starla or Alexander might need them to stay. "Just want to be close to your family a little longer?"

"Yeah, I think so. I wouldn't mind if you and I spent a little time with Grandpa tomorrow, just the three of us." Zac certainly didn't want to leave his Grandpa alone. He knew Starla would be looking in on him. She had already tried to make him come stay at their house for a few days, but Alexander had declined. Zac thought maybe it would help Starla to know that he and Vanessa would watch out for his grandfather the next day, and it would ease his own mind as well.

"Sounds good to me." Vanessa said. She leaned her head onto Zac's shoulder and closed her eyes. Zac could feel her warm breath on his neck as she began to relax. He didn't realize how stressful this day had been on Vanessa. Even though she was practically family already, she was still the outsider and her nerves had been on edge. He curled his arms around her small body just pulling her closer to him.

Zac pulled the lever on the side of the recliner raising their feet off the floor. He leaned back a little more giving him and Vanessa both room to stretch out in the soft cushioned chair. Vanessa lifted her head for just a minute to see what he was doing.

Before she could say anything Zac gently nudged her head back onto his shoulder. "Shh, Baby. Just lay back down. We'll just stay in here a few minutes." Then Zac pulled an afghan over top of them, leaned back and closed his own eyes. They fell asleep together, finally letting the stress of the past few days fall away from them.

That's how Alexander discovered them after everyone had left. Starla and David were straightening things up in the kitchen and living room. Dylan had headed into the basement to watch tv and relax. And Starla had ordered Alexander to go lie down and try to relax a little himself. So he had headed for his recliner. "Tsk," the elderly man snorted softly. "Manda never snuggled up with me in my chair." But he smiled and straightened the afghan to cover Zac and Vanessa a little better. He caught another glimpse of Amanda's ring on Vanessa's finger as he pulled the afghan over her petite arms. He looked up toward Heaven and asked, "That's where it belongs now, right Manda?" He looked back at the young couple and smiled, knowing his wife was smiling above them all.

----------------------------

"Dad, I thought I told you to go lie down." Starla shot a warning look in her father's direction.

"Well that's kinda hard to do since your oldest son and his fiancée have taken over _my_ thinking chair." Alexander smiled.

"You can kick them out dad, their adults you know." Starla bantered back.

"Starla, honey, they're asleep. I'm not waking them up to kick them out of my chair. I'm just going to go downstairs with Dyl and lie down on the couch down there."

Starla just nodded at her father and looked back at David. When Alexander had closed the door of the basement Starla asked David for his cell phone. "Who do you need to call?" David inquired.

"No one," Starla said as she pulled the phone from his hands. "I need the camera." She stated.

David followed her into the den and then watched her snap a couple of pictures of Zac and Vanessa asleep in the chair. The two had shifted around in their sleep again. And once again V's left hand was resting on Zac's right shoulder, proudly displaying the engagement ring.

Starla took David's hand and led him back into the kitchen. "There," she said as she showed him the pictures. "maybe these will help them remember getting engaged with some happy thoughts, not just the sad ones from this week."

"That could work." David thought for a minute. "Or Zac's going to think that you intentionally set them up to catch Vanessa sleeping on top of him." David smiled at the blush that rushed onto Starla's cheeks.

"I've done no such thing! And you know that. I can't help it if our son has caught his grandmother's romantic spirit and is better at showing it than any of us could've guessed." Starla looked again at the pictures on the phone.

"Having a young lady who's madly in love with him probably doesn't hurt the situation, you know." David put his arm around his wife and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "Was I like that at some point?" David asked with a little grimace on his face.

"Oh, I think _we_ were like that. You obviously swept me off my feet somewhere along the way David Efron. Otherwise my mother wouldn't have let you marry me."

They smiled at each other and David held up Starla's hand, playing with the engagement and wedding rings that still encircled her finger. "I hope," he said softly, "that we can be as supportive of Zac and Vanessa as our parents have been to us."

Starla nodded as she and David sat down on the couch in the living room. The house grew quiet except for the faint sound of the tv running in the basement. David sighed and held his wife in his arms as she put her legs up on the couch, leaned against him and fell asleep.

---------------------------------


	12. Trust the Future 1

Two days later Zac and Vanessa tossed their bags into his car to make the trip back to Los Angeles. They had said goodbye to Zac's grandpa the evening before after spending a wonderful day with him just reminiscing, laughing, and talking about the future. Alexander had thanked Zac and Vanessa for both being there to support him through this rough time. And Zac had invited his grandfather to come visit them in L.A. and promised to come back soon to see him again.

_At one point Zac and Vanessa had cuddled together while looking at wedding pictures. First they looked through a worn album showing the somewhat elaborate ceremony between Zac's grandparents. Then they flipped through a second album, one that showed a simple but beautiful ceremony that had joined Zac's parents together. They both blushed a little when Zac asked if Vanessa saw anything in those weddings that she would like to have in theirs. Yes, they were engaged, but they hadn't even attempted to discuss wedding plans._

_Alexander reminded them both, "Your engagement doesn't mean that you have to set a date right away. It simply means that you are promised to each other. Don't let anyone push you into anything that you aren't ready for. I'm saying this to both of you." He put his hand on Vanessa's knee. "The world is hard on couples. Don't let them push you. Don't let him push you." Alexander cocked his head toward his grandson._

"_Grandpa!" Zac blushed at his grandfather. _

_Vanessa felt her temperature rising too and the redness showed up in her cheeks._

"_What?" Alexander looked at both of them. "She's the closest thing to a granddaughter that I'm going to have Zachary. I've got two grandsons. Now who do you think I'm going to protect?" Alexander smiled at Vanessa who leaned in and kissed him on the cheek._

Zac put his hands in the air as if he was surrendering. "I give!" he said, smiling. "But what if she's pushing me?"

"_Then you'd better listen." Alexander said pointedly. "Cause if she starts pushing you, then it means you're taking too long, or you aren't paying her enough attention. And if that's the case you better start giving in to her, or you might lose her. And WE can't let that happen, now can we?"_

_Zac put his hands back down and squirmed backwards into the corner of the couch as he listened to his grandfather. He could feel the sincerity and seriousness in his grandfather's voice. He could see the stunned look on Vanessa's face as she ingested what his grandfather was saying. Z & V looked_ curiously at one another when the lecture was finished. _**Life Lesson Learned**__._

Vanessa thought back to that lecture as she climbed into the car. _Don't push, and don't be pushed_. She kept thinking. Then as Zac started the car she also started thinking about telling her parents that she was now engaged. Just when her father was trusting and liking Zac, how would this news come across?

Zac noticed her quietness as they pulled out of the driveway. "Oh no you don't." He said as he looked at her.

"What?" Vanessa asked a little surprised. "I haven't even said anything."

"That's my whole point." Zac said and smiled at her. "On our last drive home from Toluca Lake you got really quiet on me and the next thing I knew we were in the emergency lane on the highway with you telling me that you loved me. As much as I loved that, I'd rather not replay all the drama that led up to it! So start talking now. What's on your mind lovely lady?"

Vanessa smiled at him and took a deep breath. "Zac this may freak you out, but I'm just going to put it out there." She started.

Zac nearly froze. That was the same way that she had started the 'I love you' conversation…the one that had ended well, but had taken them into the emergency lane. "You better be kidding me. I'm _NOT_ pulling over this time." He said and just kept staring out the window.

If he _had_ looked at Vanessa he would've seen her cheesy smile cuing him into the fact that she was kidding. She knew exactly what she was saying, just to see how he would react. _Oh well,_ she thought, _at least I got a reaction from him!_

"Yes, I'm kidding," she continued. "I'm just thinking about telling my mom and dad that we're engaged."

"When do you think _you _should tell them?" Zac asked innocently.

"First off, you'd better put a'we' in that question mister." Vanessa looked at him.

"Huh?" Zac was confused.

"After my last big conversation with my Dad, I decided there would be at least two revelations in my life that _YOU_ would have to help me tell him about. This is one of them." Vanessa said quite seriously.

"I need to be there for you to tell him that we're engaged?"

"You need to be with me when _we_ tell him we're engaged." She emphasized the 'we'.

"Okay, I can handle that." Zac said, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. Did he really think that Vanessa was going to let him off easily on that? "Wait, what else will I have to be there for?" Zac wondered, a little scared.

"You will need to be there when we tell Dad that I'm pregnant."

"What???" Zac swerved a little on the road as his head jerked around to look at Vanessa. He was holding his breath again, like he did after she admitted that she loved him.

"No, you dope, I'm not pregnant now. Breathe Zachary… Good grief. Unless there's been another immaculate conception…and as far as I know I haven't spoken to any angels lately." Vanessa joked. "I'm talking about _after_ we're married and we decide to have kids and get pregnant. _Then_ you'll have to help me tell dad."

"Well, at least he'll know we aren't virgins by then." Zac grinned.

Vanessa smacked his arm. "Okay genius. Now you've just earned a new job in our future. You don't just have to be there when we tell dad we're expecting. Now _you_ have to tell him. And when he asks how it happened, _you _have to tell him that too!" Vanessa whined.

Zac cringed at the thought of having to share that information with Mr. Hudgens, uh, Greg, uh, Dad. What had he gotten himself into?

-------------------------

This trip home was less eventful for Zac and Vanessa. They did decide to tell Vanessa's parents about the engagement as soon as they got home. So about halfway there Vanessa had phoned her mom to make sure they were going to be home.

"Hey mom, we should be home in another hour or so." Vanessa started when Gina answered the phone.

"No stops in the emergency lane this time?… Your father wants to know." Gina laughed and Vanessa heard her father mumble something in the background.

"Not this time, but thanks for asking!" Vanessa smiled. "Hey, are you and dad going to be home when we get there?"

"Yeah sweety, we're in for the evening. The door will be open." Gina assumed maybe Vanessa had left her keys behind when she and Zac had headed to Toluca Lake so quickly last week.

"Okay, thanks," Vanessa answered. "Should Zac and I stop and get something for dinner? We can bring something back for you and dad too."

"No, don't do that. I fixed lasagna. There's plenty here, tell Zac to plan on staying for dinner. I'm sure there's nothing in his apartment right now anyway." Gina offered.

"Thanks mom, we were kinda counting on that." Vanessa smiled as she reached over and patted Zac on the belly.

Zac just looked at her hand and glanced back at her. Vanessa put her hand over the receiver and said, "Mom cooked lasagna and you're staying for dinner when we get home."

Zac gave her a thumbs up and smiled, mouthing 'thank you' to Gina. "Zac says thanks too mom!" Vanessa laughed. "Okay, we'll see you guys in about an hour. Tell daddy not to worry, no extra stops this time. Love you both!"

"Love you too sweetheart. See you in a while." Gina hung up the phone and went to check on the lasagna.

"You handled that very well young student." Zac joked.

"Well, no reason to make them suspect that we have something_ else_ to share with them. We need to eat, you have no food in your fridge, mom's made dinner to feed ten people, and we need to tell them that we're engaged. I think it all goes hand in hand, don't you?" V smiled. The butterflies were beginning to escape from their cocoons in her stomach. At least this time, Zac would be by her side.

Meanwhile, Greg followed Gina into the kitchen as she opened the oven door. "Everything okay with them, other than needing food?" He asked.

"Seems to be." Gina said while testing the noodles. "But I have a feeling there's more to this impromptu family dinner than we know about." She glanced back at her husband.

Greg was a little surprised. "If I end up in another conversation with either of them that includes the words 'virgins' or 'sex' then Vanessa Anne will _NOT_ be going back to Toluca Lake with him anymore. I don't care what the circumstances."

"Don't make any promises you aren't prepared to keep." Gina warned him.

"Did she tell you something on the phone?" Greg didn't want to be blindsided again.

"Nope, she didn't say anything out of the ordinary. Just call it mother's intuition." Gina walked over and put a hand on Greg's waist as she kissed him on the cheek. "And that same intuition tells me that you may want to prepare to let our little girl make _more_ trips with the man she loves, not less."

"So when she tells me to listen this time, I better just open my ears and shut my mouth. Is that what you're saying?" Greg grabbed a piece of garlic bread that had just come out of the oven.

"Mmm, I'd say keep your ears and your mind open, while shutting your mouth. Just keep it full of lasagna and bread and you'll be fine. I'll be right there by your side." Gina wasn't about to share any more of her intuition with her husband. He was just going to have to get a clue for himself.

------------------------------

It wasn't much longer before Zac's black Audi pulled up in the Hudgens' driveway. He and Vanessa both climbed out of the car and stretched their legs and arms. They hadn't stopped at all on this drive home so three hours of being cooped inside the vehicle had taken a toll on their muscles.

Greg and Gina quickly opened the front door and turned on the porch light. They watched as Vanessa crossed in front of the car and took Zac by the hand leading him toward the house. Greg held the storm door open for the teens to come into the house. Vanessa stopped briefly to kiss her dad on the cheek and then headed straight into her mother's hug.

"Zac, son, are you doing okay?" Greg asked as Zac walked in the door.

"I think so, sir. It's been a long week." Zac admitted. Then he realized that Greg had just called him 'son'. "Um, G-Greg, Vanessa told me that you lost your parents several years ago. I know that must've been a very hard time for you. Losing my grandmother has been an emotional drain on my whole family." It was the first time that Zac had called Mr. Hudgens by his first name. He realized it felt pretty good.

Greg put his arm around Zac's shoulder to sympathize with the boy. "It's a time that none of us like to think about. But if a family can pull together and get through such a trying time, it just makes them all stronger."

Zac nodded. "Our family is pretty small compared to others. But it seemed like we were all leaning on each other." He looked ahead of them as he watched Vanessa walking with Gina. "Nessa was amazing for all of us. I don't know if I could've gotten through that without her."

This time Greg nodded at Zac and looked ahead at his wife and daughter. He caught a glimpse of something on Vanessa's left hand that made him stop for a moment. _I don't think I've seen her wear a ring like that before._ But he just shook off the thought and kept walking.

When they reached the kitchen Greg sat down at the table. Vanessa headed over to the oven where the lasagna was sitting on top of the stove. Gina turned around and opened her arms to Zac who came straight to her. "We're here if you need us. You know that, right Zac? I feel like you're almost a son, you've been around here so much the past couple of years. If you need some motherly love, or home cooking, you just come on over here." Zac just nodded into her shoulder as he gave Gina an extra squeeze. She returned the favor saying, "We are so sorry that this all happened so quickly."

Zac held back a couple of tears as he wandered over to the stove next to Vanessa. "Gina, it smells wonderful!" He commented. Gina handed him a plate and the spatula. "Dig in, it's time to eat." She watched carefully as Vanessa reached up to rub a gentle hand across Zac's cheek. Gina, too, noticed the ring on Vanessa's hand, one that she didn't recognize. She glanced at Greg who looked her straight in the eye and gave a knowing nod.

-------------------


	13. Trust the Future 2

"Stella, time to eat!" Greg yelled up the stairs to get his youngest daughter's attention. "She's probably got those headphones on again, you guys go ahead and eat, I'll go get her." But Vanessa's younger sister met her dad halfway up the stairs.

"Hey dad, did I hear Vanessa and Zac come in?" Stella managed to squeeze by her dad as she was running downstairs.

"You did. They're getting dinner. No cutting line, you're at the back little miss."

"Fine, fine," the 12 year old said to her dad as she reached the kitchen. She was excited that her big sister was home, and that V's boyfriend was here for dinner. "Hi Ness, hey Zac Attack." Stella smiled.

Zac looked up from the table. "Hey Stella Bella, how's my fav' little sister?"

"I'm good, how are _you_ doing?" Stella asked with concern in her voice. She walked over and stood beside Zac putting a hand on his shoulder.

Zac turned and gave her a hug. "I'm doing ok, Bella. But my heart hurts, ya know?"

Stella patted him on the back. "Yeah, I can imagine. I'm really sorry you have to go through this. How's Dylan doing?" Stella had gotten to know Zac's little brother when they would visit the HSM set with their mom's. They had also hung around with their older siblings several times at their parents' request.

"He's doing okay too. Thanks for asking." Zac let go of Stella and she gave him a kiss on the cheek then went over to the stove to get her food. Zac looked at Vanessa and smiled, then looked at Gina and Greg. "Dyl had a little breakdown when Nessa and I first got to the hospital last week. Vanessa ended up playing mom and trying to comfort him while she was dealing with me too."

Vanessa just blushed a little and noticed her mom and dad looking at her. "I'd call it more of being a 'big sister' than playing mom. He just needed a shoulder to lean on. He had been so strong for his mom and grandpa that day. He needed to get some of his hurt out too. I'm just glad I was able to be there, for all of you." Vanessa glanced back at Zac and rubbed his leg with her toes under the table.

The conversation continued with Greg and Gina asking about Zac's parents and grandparents. Zac and Vanessa both thanked them for the fruit and pastries that were sent to Toluca Lake. Zac mentioned nibbling on the goodies for hours while stationed at his grandfather's house that first day. Zac also thanked Gina for going to such great lengths to get his suit for him. "Grandma really liked seeing me in that suit. I'm glad I was able to wear that to the wake." He said.

As they began to finish eating Vanessa and Stella offered to clear the table. When Vanessa grabbed Greg's plate, Stella was the one who made the inevitable comment. "Hey Ness, cool ring. I haven't seen that one before, where'd you get it?"

Vanessa didn't answer. Stella just looked at her and shrugged her shoulders. "Have a seat again little sis." Vanessa said. Zac could tell that she was summoning up the courage to give the parents their big news. So Zac scooted his chair back to get up and stand beside his fiancée. Instead, Vanessa came quickly to him and sat down in his lap.

"Mom, Dad…" she started slowly. "Zac and I are engaged now." She didn't look at Greg and Gina, but looked straight into Zac's eyes as she said the words. Greg carefully put his glass back on the table and looked at the two of them. Gina had simply taken a breath and cupped her hands over her mouth.

"My baby…" Gina whispered from behind her cupped hands. She stood up and came around the table to hug Vanessa and Zac. "How…When?" was all she could get out.

Greg still sat quietly at the end of the table. Zac looked at him and noticed his eyes were glued to the table. Z could only imagine what this news was doing to Greg's heart, so he didn't try to make conversation.

"Lemme see that ring again!" Stella jumped over to Vanessa and grabbed her hands. "This is so cool! My sister's gonna get married! Sweet!!!" She hugged Vanessa and then turned to Zac. "How'd you ask her? Was it really romantic? Hey, why didn't you guys tell us this when you called to check in?"

Vanessa's head started spinning from all the questions. But she noticed one voice that was missing from the conversation, her dad's. She got up from Zac's lap and walked toward Greg's seat. "Daddy?" Vanessa felt tears forming in her eyes. She couldn't read her dad's expression, and he wouldn't look at her yet.

All eyes were on Greg. Everything was quiet at the table as Vanessa put her hand on her father's shoulder. Finally he looked up at her, put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. "Congratulations my sweet Baby." Greg said as he leaned into her side. "I know you two will be very happy." He said with a sad smile on his face.

Vanessa reached down and hugged her father firmly. "Thank you Daddy. I love you!"

"And I love you too, Baby V." Gina and Stella continued their barrage of questioning the couple. Vanessa made a point of making Zac answer some of their questions. She knew he was still nervous about Greg's acceptance of their engagement. And Greg was again not talking.

This time though, Greg was doing what his wife had told him to do. He was keeping his mouth shut, and his mind and ears open. Their news wasn't a complete surprise. Thanks to Gina's intuition earlier he had let his mind wander to various scenarios that he could envision coming from the couple. This was one of them…and Greg had surprised himself by allowing himself to calmly accept it.

The family listened as Zac told them about his Grandmother's insistence that he have the ring; his grandfather's description of what an engagement means; and about finding Vanessa holding the ring in her hand the night after his grandmother passed away. Then Vanessa continued as she told them about Zac's heartfelt proposal and her quiet acceptance. They both admitted that they still didn't believe they were engaged until Starla had noticed the ring the next morning at breakfast.

Vanessa looked at Zac as she chose to avoid the embarrassing conversation that had happened at the Efron's breakfast table. Zac just smiled remembering the pointed questions that his mother had asked both of them.

"Mom, Dad," Vanessa looked at both of them and caught Greg's eyes, "This just feels right, in my heart and in my head." She had sat back down in Zac's lap for comfort and support so she grabbed his hand as she said it.

Zac decided to try and change the subject, although he knew it wouldn't work. He was hoping it might snap Greg out of the cloud he seemed to be wandering in. "We need to finish cleaning up the table." Zac started. "Let me help clear the dishes."

"No, no," Gina insisted. "Stella and I will take care of these in a little bit. We want to hear more about this engagement. With what your grandfather said, I'm guessing a date hasn't been set yet. Am I correct?"

Greg caught what Zac was trying to do. He was doing his best to get out of the questioning. "Why don't you ladies continue that conversation. Zac and I are going into the living room for a bit. Grab your drink Zachary."

Zac gave a somewhat scared look to Vanessa as he grabbed his glass and followed Greg into the living room. Would this be the 'intentions' conversation that Zac had practiced for? If so, Zac had just forgotten his lines.

---------------------

"You know," Greg started once they were seated in the living room, "that last couple of times Vanessa has gone home with you, the two of you have come back with some pretty big news."

Zac chuckled a little and rubbed his hand around the back of his neck. "Yeah, and I think the two of us have surprised ourselves with that news. We certainly didn't head to Toluca Lake this time expecting to get engaged. At least I know I didn't. "

Greg sat forward in his chair leaning his arms on his knees as he looked at Zac. "Are you _sure_ about this Zac? Are you _sure_ that you want to marry Vanessa?" Greg stopped for a second to let Zac think, then he continued. "I know the past week has been _very_ hard on you and your family and I know that Vanessa seemed as comfortable as possible given the circumstances. But are you _sure_ that this engagement isn't a result of emotions from your grandmother's death and what you think _she_ wanted?"

Zac took a minute to think and listened carefully to what Greg was saying before he responded. "Greg," he said with confidence, "I've been on a roller coaster of emotions. I'm not afraid to admit that. And when I first asked Vanessa to accept that ring I couldn't believe the words were coming out of my mouth. But they did. And they came out so easily that I'm sure it was meant to happen. I've told you before. I love her and I don't want to do anything to hurt her. And after this past week, I know that I want her by my side to share all those emotions with, all over again. I don't want anyone else with me, but her."

Greg stood up and held his hand out to Zac. Zac was a little confused, but he took Greg's hand and stood up himself. Greg pulled Zac into a hug as he smiled and said, "Welcome to the family."

---------------------------

When Gina and Vanessa came into the living room, they found the typical sight. Zac and Greg had found a game on tv to watch. Greg was sitting comfortably in his recliner with his feet up, glass of iced tea in hand. Zac had relaxed on the couch putting his feet up and leaning back against some pillows on the arm.

Vanessa lifted Zac's legs up and slid in underneath them letting them drop down into her own lap. She noticed that Zac didn't seem nearly as nervous as he had so many times before when he had watched tv with Greg. She might even say he seemed relaxed. "You seem comfy." She quipped as she rubbed Zac's knee.

"I am." He smiled at her. "Hey, where's Stella Bella?" Zac looked around curiously.

"Are you kidding? Mom made her put dishes in the dishwasher. After that _horrendous_ task, she headed back upstairs to her room. You'd think she was being punished or something." They both laughed.

"Hey young lady, you were a twelve year old once. Need I remind you of some of the antics and attitudes that you pulled?" Greg glanced over to see an amused look on Zac's face but not on Vanessa's. She was trying to think back to when she was twelve.

"I think I'd enjoy hearing about that," Zac laughed. Greg chuckled as well. Vanessa smacked Zac on the knee as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Hey, it can't be that bad can it? Besides, you just spent a week hearing about my younger days. I think it'd only be fair if I get to hear more of your stories too!"

"Not until after we're married." Vanessa said.

"Oh no, I'm not waiting that long to hear about your childhood. You could keep putting off the wedding for years and then where would that leave me?" Zac commented.

Greg watched as his daughter got a somewhat tortured look on her face. "It won't be that long." She said quietly.

Zac sat up quickly and put his arm around her. "I'm joking. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know. It's ok." Vanessa smiled. Then she leaned her head against Zac's shoulder. "I just know I don't want to wait _years_ to marry you." She whispered.

At that point Greg allowed another scenario to enter his mind. It involved his daughter and her fiancé and a loss of virginity. Gina noticed Greg shiver and put her hand on his shoulder. It was another thought he was going to have to accept. "I'll tell you later." He said as he patted his wife's hand.

------------------------

Zac had nearly fallen asleep on the couch as the game was coming to an end. "Why don't the two of you just stay here tonight Baby Girl?" Greg was asking Vanessa. "Look, Zac's exhausted and mom can run your laundry through the wash tonight. It'll be one less headache Zac will have to go through tomorrow."

Vanessa glanced back at Zac who was now sitting up on the couch. Both of them knew the sleeping arrangements would be different here than they were at Zac's parent's house. But she also felt that her dad was trying to be helpful as well.

V walked back over to Zac. "It's up to you sweetheart, do you just want to bunk here for the night, or go back to your place?"

Zac had the same thought as Vanessa about sleeping arrangements. He knew he didn't want to be away from her yet, especially not at night. He had grown used to Vanessa being by his side over the past few nights. He wasn't ready to let go of that again just yet.

Greg felt a little of their tension as he tried to convince them to stay. "It's already ten o'clock. There's no need for you to head back to an empty apartment tonight Zac. Just stay here with us."

Greg was assuming Zac would be going home alone. That didn't help the matter. After another minute or so Greg decided to give them some space. _What's the big deal? Zac has spent the night here plenty of times._ He thought. Gina seemed to read his mind. "They've never spent the night here as an _engaged couple._ " She reminded him.

The lightbulb went on in Greg's head as he glanced back in at them sitting on the couch. Zac's head was on V's shoulder and she was stroking his cheek. Greg realized he was going to have to 'get with the program' and allow his daughter to grow up a little more.

Greg went back into the living room with a slight blush on his cheeks. "You guys haven't been separated for the past few days, have you?" He was able to flash a smile in their direction.

Vanessa looked at him. "No."

"Sleeping arrangements were different at your parent's house, Zac?" Greg asked.

Zac looked at him. "Yes."

Greg sighed. "The spare bedroom is made up. There's a double bed in there. Do you need help getting suitcases out of your car?" Greg couldn't believe he had just offered to let his unmarried daughter sleep with her fiancé under his roof. _Trust_ was the word that kept going through his mind.

Vanessa was in shock. Zac was the first to jump. "Greg, I-I can't do that. That's breaking the rules of _your_ house. Thank you, but I – we can't."

Greg stepped closer to Zac. "Son, you can, and I insist. I don't want you getting into an accident on the way home and I realize that you aren't ready to let Vanessa go yet. It's the emotional stuff we talked about earlier. I understand."

"Are you sure?" Zac asked. He looked at Vanessa and she was just looking back and forth between him and her father.

"I am." Greg said. "I'll have Gina put some extra towels in there and make sure there's an extra blanket for you." He turned to walk out of the living room and said, "Close your mouth Vanessa Anne. I'm not a complete old fogy just yet."

-------------------------

Vanessa looked at Zac and attempted to close her mouth. Zac just smiled at her. "I guess I'm staying over."

Vanessa still wasn't talking. She watched as Zac went to the car and grabbed their suitcase from the trunk. He carried it up to the spare bedroom and sat it at the foot of the bed they were about to share. She watched as Greg grabbed an extra blanket and pillows and brought them into _their_ room. And she watched as her mom took some of their things out of the suitcase and down to the utility room to wash overnight.

Two of Zac's t-shirts and a pair of his sweatpants had been left on the bed for nightclothes. Vanessa realized she had an entire closet full of clothes at this house, but Zac had still left out one of his shirts for her to sleep in. Just like she had done over the last week.

Zac walked back into the spare bedroom after helping Gina get the laundry started. He noticed Vanessa was still dumbfounded. "Are you okay with this?" he finally asked. Vanessa nodded.

"Was…was that my _dad_ that offered to let us stay in here, all night, together?" She finally spit it out as Zac was getting undressed.

"It sure looked and sounded like him. That's why I figured one of us better answer him." Zac laughed.

Zac finished putting on his sweats and t-shirt. Vanessa finally got into Zac's other t-shirt that he had laid out for her. For the first time she noticed that it came almost to her knees. She had barely paid attention to that when they were at Zac's house. Now she felt just a little selfconscious, wearing _just_ his t-shirt to bed.

"I, I'm gonna run down the hall and grab a pair of shorts from my room." She admitted to Zac.

She felt weird walking into the pink room that housed her single canopy bed and pictures of her with her family, including Zac. She also noticed the trinkets and stuffed animals that adorned the dresser and chest of drawers. _A teen's room_ she couldn't help but think. She grabbed a pair of boxers from her dresser and headed back out the door and down the hall to the room she was sharing with her fiancée. She finally felt a little bit of that teenage twinge go through her heart. She had been so grown-up, so mature over the past week. She had forgotten how it felt to be _only_ eighteen.

She stopped just outside the door of the spare bedroom. She knew Zac was waiting for her on the other side of that door. She did NOT regret their engagement, or the special time they had spent together with his family over the last week. But she knew when she lay down in this bed beside him, in this house, it was the beginning of a new chapter in her life.

Gina noticed her just standing there and put her arm around her daughter. "You have your dad's blessing. It's okay."

Vanessa hugged her mom and smiled. "I'm still in shock I guess."

"He is too." Gina nodded toward the bedroom she shared with Greg. "Why don't you go give him a goodnight kiss?"

Vanessa nodded. She quickly slipped on the boxers under Zac's shirt and walked down the hallway. She knocked on the door before peeping her head in. Greg was sitting up in bed reading. He motioned for her to come sit beside him on the bed.

Vanessa snuggled up to her father for a minute and Greg wrapped his arm around her. "I feel like a twelve year old again. Wondering why I can't go to that co-ed sleepover at Deb's house."

"And it's the attitude that you gave me after I said 'no' to that…that's what I need to share with your future husband." Greg smiled. "Although I have a feeling he may have already seen some of that attitude from you. Am I right?"

Vanessa thought for a minute. "No, not really. After hearing what went on at that slumber party, even with her parents in the house…I was pretty glad I didn't go. So I had to ditch that attitude and realize that you were right."

"Ah," Greg sighed. "You finally admit it!"

Vanessa sat up and looked at her dad. "So tonight's really ok? With me…and Zac…in the same room, a bedroom?"

Greg took his glasses off and laid them on the bedside table before looking again at his daughter. "You're an adult now Vanessa. I'm still going to be here to protect you. But you've said you're old enough to make your own choices. Now I've got to admit that too. Zac loves you and you're engaged now. I don't suppose you'll be sleeping in separate bedrooms when you stay over at his apartment now will you?"

Vanessa swallowed, "It's a one bedroom apartment daddy."

"My point exactly." Greg said. "And I'm not going to let my mind think about the numerous times you've stayed over there already." He stopped.

Vanessa looked at him sheepishly and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to bed now Dad. I love you. And Daddy? "

Greg's eyes and nose contorted as he thought about his last sentences. Then he focused again on what Vanessa had just said and looked at her in a new light. "Yes Baby V?"

"Thank you!" She smiled at him as she left the room.

"Love you too." Greg said as she closed the door.

Vanessa made her way back to the spare room. She opened the door and found Zac already asleep in the bed. She crawled in next to him, trying her best not to disturb his sleep. But Zac rolled onto his side and put his arm out for Vanessa to curl up next to him like they had done those nights before. She smiled as she worked her way closer to him and finally found the right position. She felt Zac lift his head up and turned hers toward him. She felt his soft lips meet hers for just a second before he put his head back down on the pillow. "I love you." Zac said.

Vanessa smiled. "I love you too." She answered.

Gina crawled into bed next to Greg. "Thank you." She smiled.

"What for?" Greg asked, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"For keeping your mind and ears open." Gina said.

"What about keeping my mouth closed?" Greg reminded her of the third part of her lecture earlier in the evening before Zac and Vanessa had gotten home.

"If you had done that, they wouldn't be sleeping right down the hall from us right now." Gina whispered softly. "Love you." She said a little louder and then snuggled down next to her husband to go to sleep.

"Love you too." Greg whispered in her ear.

* * *

**Well that's it for my first venture at a story! Thanks for reading and commenting/reviewing. If you enjoyed this one, please check out Scenarios: Photo Scandal. **

**I've got a couple of other Scenario type chapters in the works but the words just aren't flowing like they did for these first two stories. All suggestions are welcome!**


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